Countdown
by Hellfire Pheonix
Summary: AU If a clock could count down to the very moment you meet your soul mate, would you want to know? Once the clock strikes zero, Axel and Roxas learn that their intended soul mates are most certainly not female and angrily rebel against their destiny, but can you really change something as definite as fate? AkuRoku SoRiku Zemyx Cleon
1. 9 Days, 14 Hours, 42 Minutes, 38 Seconds

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or its characters

Title: Countdown

Chapter: 1 "**9 Days, 14 Hours, 42 Minutes, 38 Seconds**"

Summary: AU If a clock could count down to the moment you meet your soul mate, would you want to know? Once the clock strikes zero, Axel and Roxas learn that their intended soul mates are most certainly not female and angrily rebel against their destiny, but can you really change something as definite as fate? Akuroku Soriku Demyx Cleon

Author's Notes: I saw this on tumblr the other day and it just went like PAH! in my head. I was like, this is flippin' adorable, why am I not writing to this? After looking into it, I found that it's from the movie TiMER and well, I thought it was still a cute idea so let me just say first that the **IDEA of a TIMER** is from the movie but the plot is way different. It might even be darker than that of the real movie. This is tale of self-discovery, rebellion, and pain where two individuals must resist social pressures and conformity in order to be happy. Apparently the movie sucked too but don't worry, my version will be way more interesting. But yes, this was my inspiration. And alas, let's have fun, shall we?

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_9 days, 14 hours, 42 minutes, 37 seconds…_

_9 days, 14 hours, 42 minutes, 36 seconds…_

_9 days, 14 hours, 42 minutes, 35 seconds…_

"…Are you listening to me, Axel!?" A voice called loudly, effectively snapping the redhead out of his thoughts. Axel hastily diverted his attention away from the timer on his wrist and looked up, blinking once, twice, and then a third time. His eyes locked onto a pair of oceanic eyes that at the moment were looking back at him perplexingly.

"Sorry, what?" The crimson haired man asked distractedly.

A look of slight irritation crossed Demyx's face briefly before he sighed. "You're not still glued to that timer, are you?" Axel shrugged his thin shoulders at that, sweeping his eyes to look over at the slowly decreasing numbers on his right wrist again.

_9 days, 14 hours, 41 minutes, 57 seconds…_

_9 days, 14 hours, 41 minutes, 56 seconds…_

"Axel, seriously, it's not healthy to keep looking at that all the time. I swear I see you at stare at it every single second of the day." The blond pointed out, reaching across the café table to poke his best friend at the center point of his forehead. When Axel didn't reply, Demyx brought his hand back so he could rest his cheek against it. "It's gotten worse too, a bit of an obsession now." Tearing his emerald green eyes away from the timer, the crimson haired man finally focused his attention on the blond in front of him.

"I wouldn't call it an obsession, more like a hobby of mine."

"You're joking, right? A hobby is something you like to do out of _leisure_. An _obsession _is when something is constantly intruding in on your mind and life. You, my friend, are obsessed with finding out when you'll meet your soul mate." A cheeky grin made its way onto Demyx's face as Axel rolled his eyes in response. "Come on, admit it. You act tough and mean but deep down, you're just a romantic at heart."

Axel pinned his best friend with a spare-me look and just scoffed. "You're a dumbass." Although his words were strong, he still couldn't help but glance over at his timer again.

_9 days, 14 hours, 41 minutes, 38 seconds…_

After peeling his away from the decreasing number, he mentally sighed. 'Maybe I am obsessed.' He admitted to himself silently. Taking a sip of his coffee, he reveled in its taste before setting it back down and raising a brow at the blond. "Perhaps I'm just curious." Axel explained. "What about you? Aren't you curious as to when you'll meet your soul mate?" Demyx's blue eyes blinked at that, not expecting Axel to ask such a thing but nonetheless, he pulled down his navy blue wristband, showing Axel the timer on his wrist that he usually kept hidden. Why Demyx chose to hide his countdown timer was unbeknownst to him but like the good friend he was, Axel didn't push it. The redhead barely read the numbers on Demyx's wrist before the blond snatched his arm back and slid the wristband back into its proper place. '15 days, 21 hours, 36 minutes, 8 seconds.' Axel thought, making a mental note for himself.

"Satisfied?" The blond questioned with a raised brow of his own. He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. "I don't know why you're so keen to find out who your soul mate is. I don't even want to know when I'll meet mine. Me, I rather just be like water and go with the flow and watch where the ripples go." While Axel appreciated his best friend's metaphoric sentence, he sighed softly.

"You don't understand Demyx; it's never been this low before. I'm finally seeing single digits…" Axel explained, giving into the temptations and looking back at the timer again. This time, only a fair few seconds had passed by. 'Shit.' Axel swore mentally, suddenly coming to the realization that he was indeed obsessed. Despite his heckling before, the blond in front of him smiled earnestly.

"Yeah, you must be excited then, huh?"

"Yeah, a little bit." Axel confessed, the corner of his lips curving upwards into a small smile.

Glancing at the time on his phone quickly, Demyx finished off the last of latté with one last gulp, grabbed his bag, and stood to his feet. "Come on, break's over. We'll be late for class if we don't get going." Cursing under his breath, Axel quickly downed the rest of his coffee, ignoring the blistering yet comforting feeling of it burning his throat, and nodded, picking his bag up as well. The two friends disposed of their beverages, adjusted the straps of their schoolbags, and began a leisurely walk back to their university. The two had been best friend for years, meeting one another at the age of nine in primary school. They'd laugh or lie if asked but they really did love one another like best friends typically did – thirteen years together would do that to people. How could they have known that they'd be attending Radiant Garden University together? Axel majored in fire science and minored in chemistry while Demyx excelled at his music theory studies and performing arts. As the two walked back to RGU, Demyx chatted on about the latest sheet music he had to sight read the other day. Taking advantage of the situation, Axel took the time to distract himself once again. Reaching up to run a hand through his wild red spikes, he quickly and subtlety glanced at the numbers on his wrist.

_9 days, 14 hours, 38 minutes, 41 seconds…_

_9 days, 14 hours, 38 minutes, 40 seconds…_

_9 days, 14 hours, 38 minutes, 39 seconds…_

_9 days, 14 hours, 38 minutes, 38 seconds…_

_9 days, 14 hours, 38 minutes, 37 seconds…_

'I can't help but look at this thing.' Axel thought feebly. 'For someone like me, a soul mate is something I can actually count on that _won't_ disappear from my life.' Referring to his broken family, he felt his heart tighten and clench painfully. Axel wasn't the average 23 year old; no, his life was a lot more complicated than that of most people his age. Hell, even Demyx had to agree and he was the most chaotic person Axel knew. Axel was the son of Reno and Elena Gongaga, a pair of revered intelligence agents that worked for the Shinra Electric Power Company, Radiant Garden's governmental structure. They were known as Turks. From what Axel remembered, his parents weren't around much, often leaving him alone to raise and care for his younger sister, Kairi – not that he minded of course – who was eight years his junior. Reno and Elena Gongaga were part of an investigative bureau of sorts and were even assassins at some point in their careers; they basically did whatever they were required to do.

"_If there's one thing you have to know about our work, Axel, is that we are consummate professionals. We take our work very seriously, yo."_ Axel once heard his father say, his lips curving upwards a little at the remembrance of his father's favorite catchphrase. He'd end often everything he said with the word 'yo'. _"And even if it meant killing our family, your mother and I would still complete the job because that's what we do as professionals."_ That particular memory made his blood run cold for it was because of that, that Axel decided to take Kairi and leave his home behind. He packed everything of his and Kairi's, made a quick beeline for a different sector within Radiant Garden, and assigned himself her new guardian. Being as such, he was forced to take up a part-time job as quickly as he could so he could support both him and his little sister. At the moment, she went to a same-sex high school as that was the only way she could get an education without having to be removed from his care. Boarding schools were usually expensive but after hearing his case about their parents being Turks and high-ranking governmental officials, they allowed for Kairi to attend school there.

'Mom told us to promise her that we'd run away before that ever happened though. I'm glad we left when we did. It's better to be safe than sorry.' The crimson haired man thought, thinking of the green eyes his mother had. Although he had inherited his mother's eyes and father's fiery hair color, chin, and spikes, Axel felt that he resembled his mother more. Kairi on the other had inherited both her eye and hair color from their father. 'Despite all that, I know Mom and Dad still loved us very much. They just might love their work more.' Axel wasn't stupid; he knew that his parents worked for a very important and hush-hush sort of bureau. His parents always wore business suits too and he cringed mentally when he remembered once thinking they were just business officials. No, they were much more than that. 'It's been years since we've heard from them though. I'm not even sure if they're still alive. I'm sure they understood why Kairi and I left though.' Glancing at his wrist once again, he sighed mentally.

_9 days, 14 hours, 32 minutes, 16 seconds…_

_9 days, 14 hours, 32 minutes, 15 seconds…_

_9 days, 14 hours, 32 minutes, 14 seconds…_

_9 days, 14 hours, 32 minutes, 13 seconds…_

"So what's your ideal soul mate like?" Demyx asked smoothly, drawing Axel away from his thoughts. The blond raised his eyebrows curiously, "Anything you're looking for?"

"I'd imagine her to be someone I feel particularly and perfectly connected to. Someone's who's beautiful but doesn't know it; I don't mean in the physical sense – though I wouldn't mind of course – but someone who's beautiful to me because I love her. She has to be strong-willed and not take any shit from me or anyone else but is willing to come to me if she needs me." A genuine smile graced Axel's handsome face. "She's someone I'll have an eternal bond with after all and well, I've always been into brunettes." He said jokingly at last. Axel then hummed. "In a society like ours, love is something sacred. I mean, that's why we're slapped on with these timers, right? Since our government has philosophical views in how we're supposed to live?" The thought of his parents' work popped up in his mind again but he pushed it away quickly. "They think that they can control when we'll meet our soul mates. It makes me wonder how they know any of that stuff though."

"Yeah, from the very second we are born, timers are placed upon our wrists." Subconsciously rubbing at the wristband that concealed his timer, Demyx frowned. "In a society like ours, where the government controls everything, it has to be done this way. After the war with Zanarkand, we lost everything. In a dark and desolate world such as ours, we need love in our lives to stay strong. In my romanticism history class, I remember reading a theory that we are individually created as 'half-souls'. We were supposed to have been condemned to spend the rest of our lives searching for the other half of our souls but I guess the Shinra Electric Power Company messed that one up and adopted a policy of their own." He rubbed the back of his head uncomfortably, "Listen Axel, I don't know too much about this timer business and I'm not about to throw out random conspiracy ideas but in my opinion," His voice suddenly turned soft so only Axel could hear, "There's something the government's hiding from us."

"What do you mean?" Axel whispered back.

"I mean think about it, why would we even need to know who our soul mates are? Who cares as long we're happy? Think about all those people who could be happy together but instead chose not to do anything when they saw that their timers weren't linked up?" Demyx made a point; Axel couldn't remember how many times he had seen people leave one another just because their timers weren't in sync. They had thrown away months or even years of happiness just because they weren't technically 'soul mates'. He himself had broken off many relationships with women simply because their timers were not in sync. "Love is love." Demyx said finally as he looked up at the cloudless sky. "Why would it matter to Shinra when it is that we meet our soul mate? No one exactly knows why we have these timers on our wrists; all we do know is that it tells us when we'll meet our soul mate."

His face was serious as he spoke but even still, Axel could sense the teasing sound in Demyx's voice. The crimson haired man laughed a little and shook his head. "You're just busting my balls, aren't you?" The blond's eyes shifted from the sky to look at Axel and the redhead smirked once he saw the dancing mirth in Demyx's blue orbs. "Yeah, you're just messing around." He pushed his best friend's shoulder, shoving him away. "You're such an ass, always jerking my chain. And here I thought you were being serious and actually on to something."

Demyx stuck his tongue out at Axel and gave the older boy a shove of his own. "I'm just screwing with you. The hell if I know why we have these things on our wrists." As his alarm went off on his cell phone, Demyx glanced at it quickly before touching two fingers to his forehead. "Later, Ax." He said, giving his friend a two-finger salute before sauntering off to the music building for class. Axel watched his friend's retreating back before pulling his phone out as well. He still had another couple minutes before he had to leave. Pulling back his arm slowly, he read the numbers on his wrist once again.

_9 days, 14 hours, 30 minutes, 49 seconds…_

"The Zanarkand War, huh?" Axel suddenly said out loud, repeating Demyx's words from earlier. "I wouldn't be surprised if the President instigated these timers so those that are lost can their way forward again." The Zanarkand and Radiant Garden happened well before he was born but he still felt like he was living in a post-apocalyptic world. There wasn't any physical destruction to the city anymore but Axel couldn't count how many times he had seen lost souls wandering aimlessly around the city. "It would make sense though. These timers give people a new sense of hope; something to look forward to." He then placed a hand over his heart. "And for someone with nothing, this timer gives me nothing but hope." He tightened his hold over his schoolbag before shaking his head and walking in direction of the science building. "I can't wait to meet her." Axel said to himself finally as a small but happy smile graced his lips. "I'm sure she'll be amazing." He remarked finally, turning to look at the decreasing numerals on his wrist again. "And beautiful."

_9 days, 14 hours, 30 minutes, 45 seconds…_

_9 days, 14 hours, 30 minutes, 44 seconds…_

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Author's Notes: And this is where we end chapter one. I didn't really write as much as I usually do. I think this is only around 3k words. Sorry about that! I'm just curious to see if people will like this story. Just let it be known that I have no idea what I'm writing yet, I just know it's going to be drama filled. It'll be quite fun watching all the identity crisis that goes on in this story. Thanks for your time, everyone! If you're still in an AkuRoku mood, go and read my KH3 AkuRoku fic, Second Chances : ) You'll love it!

Read and review? Kay thanks!


	2. 9 Days, 4 Hours, 16 Minutes, 26 Seconds

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or its characters

Chapter: 2 "**9 Days, 4 Hours, 16 Minutes, 26 Seconds**"

Author's Notes: Thanks to all those that read, reviewed, favorited, or followed! It really means a lot to me that you guys did :) Thank you again! And here we are at chapter two. I hope you guys like this one! Remember to read, favorite, follow, or review, okay? :)

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"Roxas, your father and I are about to leave, will you and Sora be alright for dinner?" Cloud asked as he gently knocked his fist against his son's wooden doorframe to alert him of his presence. The boy in question looked away from the sunset and turned towards his father before nodding his head.

"Yeah, it'll be fine. There are leftovers in the fridge, right?"

"Yes, but in the case that you or Sora don't feel like leftovers tonight, there's money on the table."

The teenager nodded again before turning his attention back to the window he had been previously looking out of. It was around sunset and he couldn't help but admire the sky's swirling colors. It was a favorite pastime of his, watching the sunset. For reasons he couldn't explain, he felt drawn towards the setting sky. Cloud watched his adopted son with fond eyes before he chuckled softly and leaned against the doorframe. Yes, it was true; Roxas and Sora was indeed his and Leon's adopted sons.

Cloud himself had been a SOLDIER, a member of the Shinra Electric Power Company's elite fighting force, and long since retired since the days of the Zanarkand War. He had fought many long and gruesome battles throughout his life, having spent many years in SOLDIER. Leon on the other hand was a SeeD mercenary, a separate military branch that allied with the rest of the SOLDIERs when Zanarkand had attacked. Cloud honestly didn't know what it was that drew him towards Leon; maybe it was the older man's drive to protect the ones he loved or maybe it was his courage, Cloud just never knew. What Cloud _did _know was that Leon was to be his. He didn't need a timer like those in today's society to know that he and Leon were already soul mates. During a chaotic time such as the Zanarkand war, loneliness brought them to one another and love kept them together. Both men were stoic yet complimented one another greatly.

It was during the post-apocalyptic times that the two had stumbled upon a pair of orphan boys whose parents had been unable to provide for them and so left them alone to die. Cloud and Leon had stumbled upon them during a routine patrol of a run-down sector a few years after the war ended. The boys were haggard and frail when they first found them but Cloud thought they were the most beautiful boys he had ever seen. They had such a remarkable sense of innocence that floated about in their sky blue eyes that he just couldn't bare to leave them alone. That had been nearly 14 years ago though and after years of compiling information, the two men found that Sora and Roxas had been born exactly 3 years after the war had ended. Both of their biological parents had disappeared, never to be heard from again and so Leon and Cloud took it upon themselves to raise these orphaned boys. They loved them dearly.

Cloud and Leon retired three and a half years after the war ended, a little bit before they had adopted Sora and Roxas. Upon doing so, they moved to one of the larger houses in the upper-class section of Radiant Garden. Radiant Garden was divided into three sectors; two upper-class sections, and then one sector that comprised both the middle and lower class. Although there was a distinct residential line that divided the city, everyone lived together harmoniously. The upper-class sector was split into two parts; the homes of ex and current soldiers along with their families and then the homes of the Turks and their families. The citizens of Radiant Garden were united and stood together. Discrimination or pity didn't exist within the city for everyone knew of the struggles they all faced as a nation during the times of the Zanarkand War. No one was excluded in that. There wasn't one person in the whole city that hadn't been affected by the war and even the schools allowed for students of all classes to attend. Cloud and Leon lived in the upper-class part of the city, specifically in the military section, as Leon and Cloud had served their time. Cloud was then brought out of his musings by Roxas' grasp on his arm.

"You're spacing out, Dad." Roxas said as he grinned cheekily. "Keep that up and you and Dad will never go out to eat."

"What?" Cloud questioned back, blinking. "Oh, right." He laughed a little and reached out to ruffle his son's blond locks. "Get that smartass look off your face." Cloud ordered, smirking down at his son who simply smirked back. Wrapping an arm around the boy's shoulders, Cloud walked out of Roxas' room. They immediately turned left towards the adjacent room, where Sora was still busy cleaning his room with an unamused Leon beside him.

"Still not done?" Roxas asked as he drifted away from Cloud's side and walked over to Sora, assisting the brunet in whatever he was doing.

"Nope, too much shit's on the ground." Sora answered back as he found some clothes that had carelessly been thrown to the floor and hastily threw them into his laundry basket. Once he finished ransacking the floor, he eagerly turned to the next corner of the room. Roxas simply shook his head and started sorting out Sora's clothes since he knew for a fact that his brother wouldn't have bothered to do so on his own. Cloud and Leon didn't know if Roxas and Sora were truly brothers but when they found the two boys fourteen years ago, they had been holding hands. Perhaps out of loneliness and need for love, the two found one another and chose to stick by one another's side. Ever since the day, both teens had lived on as brothers.

The older blond walked over to his lover and ran his fingers down Leon's well-sculpted bicep, chuckling softly when Leon pinned him with a knowing look. "We'll be late if we don't leave now." There was a twinkle in his eye that did not go unnoticed by the brunet for he nodded and left the room. Cloud hastily followed but not before turning to give one last look at his sons. "Call the cell if you must." Sora and Roxas waved their goodbyes and once they heard the door shut, they collapsed onto Sora's strangely neat bed, abandoning the chores in favor of relaxing.

"Hey Roxas, are you excited for school to start next week?"

"Hmm?" Roxas asked, slightly distracted as his eyes fluttered closed. Once Sora repeated his question, Roxas shrugged. "I guess, I mean senior year is supposed to be the best year of our high school lives, right? It'll be nice to graduate alongside everyone." He stretched out his arms upwards towards the ceiling and groaned, feeling the bones in his back crack a little.

"Yeah." Sora could only agree. He then glanced over at Roxas and noticing the ticking clock on his brother's wrist. "Hey, have you noticed your timer lately? It's finally hitting single digit days." Roxas blinked and pulled down his sleeve a little to expose his timer and just as Sora said, it was decreasing ever so slowly.

_9 Days, 4 Hours, 16 Minutes, 26 Seconds…_

_9 Days, 4 Hours, 16 Minutes, 25 Seconds…_

_9 Days, 4 Hours, 16 Minutes, 23 Seconds…_

"Yeah, I guess." Roxas agreed, shrugging his shoulders a little. "It's not all that exciting though." His sky blue eyes traced along the digital numbers as his mind began to whirl with thoughts. 'Yeah, it isn't exciting at all. I get to meet my soul mate and then what? It's not like it really matters. I'm perfectly content with things just the way they are.' Tucking his arm back behind his head, he nudged the brunet with his elbow. "My timer seems a little boring when we compare it to yours though. How long has it been like that?" Sora hummed questionably at his brother's question and blinked before unfolding his left arm. He outstretched his arm and showed Roxas the digits.

_0 Days, 0 Hours, 0 Minutes, 0 Seconds…_

"It's been like that for as long as I can remember." Sora replied back. Like Roxas, his eyes focused on that of the numbers on his wrist. "The last time I ever saw any numbers was back when we were still really young, probably around five or so?"

"Just about the time our dads enrolled us in primary school, right?"

Sora nodded. "Yeah."

Roxas grinned a little at that. "Doesn't it make you wonder who _your_ soul mate is? You know, since your timer is pretty much done?" He heard his brother grunt in reply so he continued. "That means it's probably someone you met back at school and think, you don't even know who it is!" Roxas bolted upwards into a sitting position so he could cross his arms. "I'm sure it's somebody in the military sector too, it has to be! We don't ever cross over to the Turk's side or even the middle sector so it's got to be someone with a military bloodline."

"Maybe, but I'm sure I'll run into them again someday." Sora replied. "What about yours, think they'll be cute?" Sora asked back. Roxas paid particularly close attention his brother's choice in wording and he blinked.

"I'm sure _she'll_ be cute." Roxas corrected. He had nothing against homosexuality, hell, his parents were obviously homosexual; he just wasn't attracted to other men. He'd rather chase skirts than shorts if the truth be told. The idea of a homosexual relationship didn't disgust him; it just wasn't what he was interested in. It was at that moment that Sora's phone began blasting music and the brunet quickly sat upright. He grabbed at his phone and swiped the touch-screen with his thumb before holding the phone up to his ear.

"Hey Riku, what's up?" Ah, yes, Riku Cetra. Roxas and Sora had known Riku for many, many years. They had all met during elementary school as they both had parents that had once been or were in the military. Riku was the son of Sephiroth, arguably the best SOLDIER in existence. He was a handsome boy; long, thick silver hair and piercing blue eyes that he inherited from his father. Riku was around the same age as him and Sora, if not maybe a few months older, and he was very mature for his age. Having a top military general for a father as well as three older brothers typically did that to a person. From the stories Roxas remembered his father telling him, during his time as a SOLDIER in the army, Cloud greatly looked up to the silver haired man. And likewise, even Leon respected Sephiroth. "…No, I'm not busy. Actually, Roxas and I are alone tonight. Do you want to go out for a bite to eat or something?" As Roxas picked up on more of Sora and Riku's conversation, his gaze drifted downwards to his wrist.

_9 Days, 4 Hours, 14 Minutes, 47 Seconds…_

_9 Days, 4 Hours, 14 Minutes, 46 Seconds…_

_9 Days, 4 Hours, 14 Minutes, 45 Seconds…_

_9 Days, 4 Hours, 14 Minutes, 44 Seconds…_

_9 Days, 4 Hours, 14 Minutes, 43 Seconds…_

'Sora's right, this thing really is going down.' Roxas mused as he turned his wrist experimentally. His fingers curled into a fist as he turned his wrist to the right and then the left, his eyes never leaving the decreasing numbers on his timer. '9 days till I meet my soul mate, huh?' While he himself knew that love was indeed sacred and special, he didn't believe in the theory of having a soul mate. To him, nothing like that truly ever existed – people just fell in love simply because they wanted to, not because fate designed them to. What divine power can predetermine love? 'Dad and Dad didn't need a timer to fall in love, why the hell do I need one? They found one another on their own and even though they fight like dogs, I know they're great for each other.' He glanced over to Sora, watching as his brother talked amiably to his best friend, Riku. 'Sora must have it bad though; his timer has been saying zero for the past twelve years. He could have met his soul mate and not have even known.' The blond suddenly glared down at the numbers on his wrist. 'That's what's so stupid about these bullshit timers. They don't alert you at all if you're in their presence so you waste half your life trying to find out who they are.' He was then snapped out of his thoughts.

"Roxas," Sora called, "You feel like going out for dinner? I'm sure our dads won't mind." The blue eyed brunet questioned before pocketing his phone and standing to his feet. Roxas shrugged, indicating that he didn't and proceeded to exit his brother's room with the other following suit. "Riku says he'll pick us up." Sora added as an afterthought. Having just grabbed the car keys, Roxas scowled.

"What, does he think we can't drive ourselves?"

"No." He replied back simply. "He says he was just in the area and doesn't mind driving us." As Roxas dropped the car keys back into their designated bowl by the front door, he turned off all the lights in the living room. "Hayner and Pence are coming too; I think they're meeting us there." And for the second time today, Roxas grinned cheekily.

"Good, I haven't seen them in a while." After making sure to lock all the doors and windows, Roxas and Sora exited their house. Deciding that he should text his fathers real quick, Roxas turned his attention to the phone in his hand. His thumbs quickly jabbed at the letters on the touch screen when an obnoxious sound boomed throughout the air. "Looks like Riku's here." Roxas commented dryly as he watched the silver haired teen's black sports car come up into their driveway. Setting the vehicle to park, Riku unlocked the passenger door to his car, allowing for Sora and Roxas to enter.

"Hey." He said somewhat passively.

"Hey Riku!" Sora greeted back eagerly. He grabbed onto Roxas' wrist and jerked him forward. The two made their way to the passenger's side and after staring one another down for a minute straight; Roxas conceded and lifted the seat out of the way so he could climb into the back all the while glaring at his brother. Why? Because he lost. Sporting a cheeky grin, Sora plopped down onto the passenger seat and reached out to close the door behind him. "Where are we going?"

"Ask Hayner." Riku replied. "He said something about burgers."

"Excellent." After adjusting the hem of his shirt, Roxas reached forward in between the two car seats, immediately going towards the radio. He extended a finger forward and began jabbing away at the different stations Riku had saved up on his radio. Having Sephiroth for a father definitely had its benefits – Riku had a touch screen radio for crying out loud! "Hmm, is there nothing on right now?" Roxas mused as he cycled through the different stations. Upon finding not even one suitable radio station to listen to, the blond huffed irritably. "Riku, how do I get to your playlist?"

"You do this." Taking his hand off the steering wheel, the silver haired teen gestured to the button on the lower right. "You have to exit out of the sub-menu and go to the home screen." As he skillfully navigated through his car's complicated sound system, Roxas focused his attention on every movement the older boy made. He saw something shift out of the corner of his eyes and upon analyzing the situation; he concluded that Riku's sleeve had fallen back a little to reveal his left wrist.

_0 Days, 0 Hours, 0 Minutes, 0 Seconds…_

'Just like Sora, huh?' Roxas thought somewhat sadly. 'It looks like you already met your soul mate too.' To his knowledge however, Riku didn't have a girlfriend, or a boyfriend if he was into that sort of thing. Once a song started blaring from the speakers, Roxas settled back into his seat. 'I bet you don't even know who it is either. It must suck then…you and Sora won't know at all who your soul mates are.' His blue eyes glanced quickly at his own timer and he couldn't help but sigh softly to himself. 'Whoever she is, I don't think I want to meet her. She'd probably be amazing and make my heart beat fast or whatever but I don't care. It's not fair, not when Sora can't meet his. I'll live out my days normally and when the clock strikes zero, I'll just forget about it and move on.' Glancing at his brother, he studied Sora's laughing face. His brother seemed at ease when he was in the presence of others. The laughs and smiles he'd give people were so genuine; he really did love his friends and family. 'It's not fair.' He thought again. 'Sora deserves to be happy too.'

_9 Days, 4 Hours, 10 Minutes, 21 Seconds…_

_9 Days, 4 Hours, 10 Minutes, 20 Seconds…_

_9 Days, 4 Hours, 10 Minutes, 19 Seconds…_

'I've decided; I'm not doing anything about this soul mate business until Sora has found his. If he can't find his in the next nine days, I guess I won't bother finding mine either. She's shit out of luck on this one, Sora is my brother and we do everything together. That's how it's always been – excluding Dad and Dad, we're all we have, after all. That's the way it's been and that's what it'll always be. We are one.'

_9 Days, 4 Hours, 10 Minutes, 8 Seconds…_

_9 Days, 4 Hours, 10 Minutes, 7 Seconds…_

_9 Days, 4 Hours, 10 Minutes, 6 Seconds…_

_9 Days, 4 Hours, 10 Minutes, 5 Seconds…_

* * *

"Kairi! Kairi, I'm home!" Axel called out as he stepped in through the doorframe of the condo he owned. After placing the keys on the hook by the door, he removed his shoes and began cycling through the mail. "Let's see what we got: bills, bills, bills, the hell? More bills, shit, shit-shit, and lastly, advertisements shit." He read out as he flipped through each of the envelopes. Disposing of them in the shoebox labeled 'Mail', he crossed the threshold and walked into the kitchen area, placing the bag of groceries on the island countertop. "Kairi!" He shouted again.

"I'm in here!" She replied back though her voice was a little hoarse. The crimson haired man followed the direction of her voice and found her on the couch in the living room with blankets all over her. Humming softly, he crouched in front of her and placed the back of his hand against her forehead. Kairi's skin felt warm to the touch and that definitely did not sit well with him.

"You're a little warm." He observed with a frown. "Are you getting a cold?" He asked, removing his hand so he cool pull the blankets tighter around her small frame. While she was indeed sixteen years of age, he still felt the need to baby her sometimes. He had after all practically raised her, sometimes he felt like more of a father than a brother. "I can make you something." He glanced quickly at the clock and saw that it was nearly 11:30 at night – she had waited for him even though she was sick. How he loved her so.

Despite the small cough she let out, she smiled reassuringly and shook her head. "I'm fine, don't worry. You've got an exam tomorrow, don't you? You should go study. I'll just take some pills and go to bed." Grabbing a fistful of fabric so she pull the blanket tighter, she stood on her toes and kissed her older brother on the cheek. "See you tomorrow, Axel. Have a good night, okay? Good luck on your test." She said finally before disappearing into the kitchen. He watched her go with concerned eyes and it wasn't until he heard the distinct click of her bedroom door closing that he visibly relaxed. He collapsed onto the sectional couch and propped his feet on the table, letting his head fall back against the soft cushions.

"I am fucking exhausted." Axel groaned out as he tiredly touched his forearm to his forehead. Closing his eyes, he covered them with his arms and leaned back, inhaling and exhaling slowly. It had been a long day; after classes ended, he had a six hour shift and it was relentless. He worked in retail as a salesclerk at the local supermarket and while it did not pay all that well, he was glad to do it. As far as he knew, he was the sole supporter of his sister and without a job; he'd be failing as her caretaker and provider. A while back, his parents had offered to pay for things like utilities and luxuries but the humble man that he was, Axel declined. He instead told them to pay for their education and with the promise that they'd do so, he picked up a job. He had a busy life, what with having to juggle being a full-time student at a university, a part-time job, and the caring for his sister. It was amazing that his body didn't give out to all that stress. He lifted his arm a little, his emerald green eyes tracing along the numbers on his wrist.

_8 Days, 20 Hours, 28 Minutes, 33 Seconds…_

_8 Days, 20 Hours, 28 Minutes, 32 Seconds…_

_8 Days, 20 Hours, 28 Minutes, 31 Seconds…_

_8 Days, 20 Hours, 28 Minutes, 30 Seconds…_

"Only eight more days left, huh?" Axel mused as he allowed a small smile to grace his lips. "Why are you keeping me waiting, my lady? Don't you want to meet me too?" He questioned softly. Bringing his wrist towards his lips, he tenderly touched his lips to the timer. "God, I already love her so much." Moving his arm so his hand laid directly over his heart, he closed his eyes again. Counting the beats of his heart, he found himself being lulled to sleep. He was all the more waiting for sleep to overtake him. As his breathing evened out, the light in the living room flickered off. Kairi, who had been quiet this entire time, studied her sleeping brother before smiling to herself. She had stepped out for a quick drink of water and was about to head to the kitchen when a slight shift in picture distracted her. She managed to catch a quick glimpse of her brother's timer and suddenly warmth began spreading throughout her body. She knew of the struggles he had to face in order to support her and she couldn't wait for all that to be rewarded. In exactly eight more days, Axel would meet the love of his life.

Kairi couldn't wait for his happiness. He definitely deserved it; he had to deal with all these different things going on at one time and he still could smile so earnestly. If there was one person who deserved the whole world, it would definitely be Axel. "I'm sure she'll be everything you've been waiting for, Axel." She said softly before closing the door slowly and making her way back to bed.

* * *

Author's Notes: Hey! Did you guys like this chapter? It's about 4k words. I hope you guys liked it! Please leave me a review! I love all the feedback you guys give me :) And if there's anything you'd like to see, make sure to let me know in a review! If there are any anons that would like alerts to when this story is updated, just let me know! I have an email list already for SC and I wouldn't mind doing the same thing for this story. I also have a tumblr, just search up 'hellfirepheonix' and you'll find me. I usually post when I update too on tumblr.

Happy days! Leave me a review, okay? :) Until next time!


	3. 8 Days, 11 Hours, 59 minutes, 4 seconds

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts

Chapter: 3 "**8 Days, 11 Hours, 59 minutes, 4 seconds**"

Author's Notes: Hi! Thanks for all the reviews guys! I love each and every one of you! :) Thanks to all those that added this to their alerts and favorites too! I'm glad you all like it so far! And just a forewarning, things get a little dramatic and angsty here. I'm not even sure how it turned out this way…

I would like to extend a thank you to **RainbowYuki, Crystalsspalinginthesun, sakuraspprentice7, meeka-eela, Formidable Rain, Vedovis, mangamichelle12, fangirlingprobs, L . A . Holic, NobodyWriterXIII**, and **mudkipluvr4ever** for reviewing! I love you guys! :)

* * *

"_The most useful calculation in redox reactions is the Nernst Equation. It allows us to calculate the electric potential of a redox reaction in non-standard conditions. This standard potential can by corrected by a factor that includes the actual temperature of the reaction, the number of moles of electrons being transferred, and the concentration of redox reactants and products. This next equation here represents…_"

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

"…Axel, could you please stop that?"

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

"_Quit it_, Axel!" A voice whispered sharply, effectively halting Axel in whatever he was doing. The crimson haired man had been distractedly drumming the fingers of his right hand against the elongated desk within the lecture hall. He was sitting about three rows from the top and had been trying to amuse himself so he wouldn't fall asleep. Turning his face to the side, he took note of a slightly irritated Marluxia who was four seats away from him. "I can't hear with you tapping the desk like that."

"Sorry." The younger man replied back softly before picking his head off the desk. He glanced over at Marluxia who looked satisfied with the lack of noise. His eyes traced along the scratching of the pink haired man's pen as he attentively took lecture notes. Marluxia was an acquaintance of his that he had met back two years ago as a sophomore. While he himself had a minor in chemistry, Marluxia was majoring in the field of photochemistry. From what Axel remembered, Marluxia had always loved studying plants. Blinking slowly, Axel glanced over at his own notes and saw that they were rather lacking in detail – he only managed to copy two equations before it turned into a streak of ink that ran down the side of the paper. 'Shit.' Scrambling for his pen that was lying discarded on the floor, he hastily began looking up and down from the board to his notebook, trying to copy down as much as he could. He barely was able to finish the copper reaction when the projector flickered off, signaling the end of class. "Shit!"

"That's what you get for not paying attention." Marluxia said amusingly as he packed up his supplies. He gathered everything into his messenger bag and threw it over his shoulder. "I'll just email you what I have later?"

"Could you?" Axel asked back almost desperately. The other simply smirked and shrugged, putting up a hand once he turned around. Axel watched as Marluxia walked down the steps of the lecture hall and he couldn't help but sigh in relief, that man really was a lifesaver. Upon getting his supplies, he wove one arm through the arm of his backpack and allowed it to hang at an angle on his back. He exited the classroom soon after and immediately pulled out his phone, glancing at the time. "Holy shit, it's 11 in the morning, what the hell am I supposed to do now?" Normally, around this time, he'd been on his way to his Physics II class but since it was cancelled, he was pretty much done for the day. Sending a quick text to Demyx to let him know he wouldn't be staying for break, Axel made his way out of the science building and continued along the path to the parking lot. He felt a vibration in his hand and hummed softly, sliding the phone open with his thumb. "Hey Kairi." He greeted. Though his tone was slightly passive, his eyes glowed with the affection he held only for his younger sister.

"_Hi Axel, sorry to bother you while you're in_ class –"

"You're fine, my class got cancelled today." He said smoothly as he reached into his side pocket and fished for his keys. Pressing the pad of his thumb against the unlocking feature on his car keys, he pulled open the door of his car and slipped inside. Cradling the phone in the area between his ear and shoulder, Axel put the key in the ignition. "What's up?"

"_I just wanted to ask if I could stay over Naminé's tonight_."

Putting pressure on the break pedal, he threw his school bag back to the second row. "Are you sure? What about that cold you had last night?" That didn't sit well with him at all; he didn't like her going out when she was sick.

"_I'm all better now, I promise!" _

"Don't give me that bullshit, Kairi." He deadpanned, rolling his eyes. He could practically see her laughing a little at her little white lie. Not wanting to spoil her fun however, he conceded. "Alright, it's fine with me. Just make sure you still take your medicine on the hour every four hours, got it?" After she promised she would, they talked more plans before ultimately hanging up. Tossing the sliding phone onto the passenger seat beside him, he buckled himself in. He turned on the radio to a simple station and thusly began his drive home. "Now what the hell am I going to do now?" He said again, frowning. "Today's my off day too." Shifting slightly so his right hand was on the steering wheel and the left was cupping his face on the window, he blew out a gust of air. "I guess I could do homework." Axel then grunted. "On a Friday night? Yeah, right." He drove at a moderate pace, stopping when he needed to, and accelerating when he was able to. Hitting a pothole in the road, he growled irritably, hoping his tires weren't damaged in any way. The car's downward movement however did cause his left sleeve to fall down, revealing the timer on his wrist.

His eyes ached to look but he stilled himself, wanting to be smart about this. "Relax Axel, it's just a little bit further." The crimson haired man told himself in an effort to still his beating his heart. While he admitted that he did obsessively look at his timer, he also knew when he shouldn't. That included times during class and times when he was at work or on the road; basically anytime that actually called for his complete and utter focus. Once he finally pulled into his designated parking spot, he exhaled slowly and pulled up the break handle. Placing a hand over the left side of his chest, he willed his erratically beating heart to slow down. "Not being able to look at my timer for just three hours is enough to make me this crazy? Fucking Christ." Axel then took his head into his hands, fisting his fingers through his wild mane of hair. "Demyx is right, I've officially gone mad. I can't believe how much I depend on this tiny, little thing just to be happy? It's only been _three fucking hours_ since I last looked at it and already, I can't even begin to feel the excitement of knowing." He tightened his grip on his red spikes, his lips curling in displeasure. "What the fuck is wrong with me?"

He felt ugly, disgusted even. He felt so completely desperate.

Why was he like this? Was there nothing else that made him this happy?

And her…

Did she feel this way too? Was she just as eager to meet him too?

Was his soul mate also tormenting herself out of desperation and need for love?

Love?

Was he really in love? Or was he in love with the idea of having someone?

He didn't know. He _couldn't _know. How could he?

There was just no definite way he could know.

"Is there a limit to how much you can love somebody?" He asked to no one in particular, leaning back in his leather seat. He looked out from the windshield at the blue sky, wondering why he was so drawn to its rich color. "Is it possible to love someone so madly and helplessly like this? Is it? If so, I'm never going to love like this ever again." Cursing himself inwardly, he threw open the car door and stepped out after removing his key. Not even bothering to pick up the mail, he climbed the steps to his condo and hastily threw open the door after he unlocked it. Throwing his book bag to the floor, he reached his hand into a drawer by the couch and took out a pack of cigarettes. Fumbling with it slightly, he removed one before lighting it quickly. Bringing the wrapped object to his mouth, he held it loosely between his lips before taking a deep drag. He reveled in its addictive taste, feeling himself begin to loosen up.

Immediately right after taking in the nicotine, he began to relax. His rapidly beating heart began to slow comfortably; enough that he couldn't hear it anymore. Normally, he wouldn't smoke in the house – he didn't want the cigarette smoke poisoning his sister's lungs – but today, he felt that needed to. Covering his eyes like the day before, he leaned back against the padded cushion. With his other hand, he rubbed his thumb against the slowly decreasing numbers on his wrist. 'I still haven't looked at it…God, I want to so badly.' An irritated grunt thundered in his throat as he physically shook. 'Why am I like this…?' Against his better judgment, he lowered his arm and finally looked down at his left wrist.

_8 Days, 11 Hours, 59 minutes, 4 seconds_

_8 Days, 11 Hours, 59 minutes, 3 seconds_

_8 Days, 11 Hours, 59 minutes, 2 seconds_

_8 Days, 11 Hours, 59 minutes, 1 second_

_8 Days, 11 Hours, 59 minutes, 0 seconds_

_8 Days, 11 Hours, 58 minutes, 59 seconds_

Taking the cigarette from his lips, he licked his lips. "Once I see her, I'll surely end up crying." Kissing his timer once again, he sighed softly. "I fell in love with you the very moment I learned of what you could give me. Yes, I remember, it was during sunset and I could smell the wind's scent." He still had eight days till then – why couldn't it say 2 days so he could meet her sooner? Why couldn't time speed up? He had been waiting all his life for this. "This feeling of sadness and loneliness, are you feeling it too?" He asked his silent lover, tilting his head to look out the window again. Bringing the cigarette back to his lips, he twiddled the part in his mouth with his tongue. Axel could dream about how much better his life would be once he met his soul mate but that's just the thing; dreams are just dreams. "What's real is the loneliness I feel from not being with you right now." His breath hitched slightly. "Simply loving you won't satisfy me; no, not even admiring you would satiate me. I need _more_, much, much more." Wrapping his long arms around his torso, Axel shut his eyes tightly. "I want to see you."

"I want to see you so _badly_."

* * *

It was around 10:50 in the morning and that meant that fourth period had just ended. Waiting for the distinct chiming of the school bell, Sora quickly bolted straight into attention. Upon hearing it, he uttered a happy cry. "Finally!" Sora cried out happily as he stretched his stiff arms skywards. "Fourth period is over and now we get to eat! I'm starving!" He quickly began gathering his school supplies when he suddenly felt something connect with the top of his head. Looking up, he saw Riku with a rolled up paper and frowned a little, rubbing the offending spot. "Hey Riku, what gives?"

"It's not lunch just yet; we have homeroom for fifteen minutes."

"What for?"

"Locker combinations?"

"We're seniors, why the hell do we need a locker?"

"Because walking to and from your car just to put away things is a hassle?"

After doing just that and getting their locker combinations, Sora and Riku left their respect homerooms and met up again. As the two traded more words back and forth, the other students began to crowd around one another, whispering softly. It was something of a routine honestly, had been so for nearly four years now. The friendship between the two boys was legendary in itself; everyone in Radiant Garden High knew how deeply those two cared for one another. Riku was never without Sora and likewise, Sora was always with Riku. In addition to that, both Riku and Sora had impressive family backgrounds to boost their popularity. Riku, being the son of Sephiroth, and Sora being the child of Cloud and Leon; both boasted impressive famous military lineage. The upperclassmen girls all viewed Riku as something of a reward while the underclassmen thought he was too intimidating to approach. Sora on the other hand was highly regarded due to his cute-boyish appearance and overall beautiful heart. The mob of students watched as Sora and Riku walked down the hallway looking as though nothing else in the world mattered to them but each other. Roxas, who was already at his locker, watched the two best friends make their way towards him and he couldn't help overhearing the whispers.

"_Riku really is handsome, isn't he?_"

"_Holy shit man, did you hear? Riku got 1__st__ place again in the track meet. What the hell, how does he do it?_"

"_His smile is to die for – I always lose my breath when I see it!_"

'Yeah.' Roxas thought smugly. 'But it's not like Riku's smiling at you. He rarely ever smiles and when he does, it's only when he's with Sora." From what Roxas knew, Riku was a good friend. Hell, he was Sora's best friend and that was good enough for him. He had a best friend too, his name was Hayner. But in all the years he and Hayner had known one another, he had never felt that particular kind of closeness with his hotheaded friend. His friendship with Hayner wasn't even in the same league as Sora and Riku's friendship – those two just had their own sort of unbreakable bond. 'But perhaps, that is what it truly means to be best friends.'

"_And Sora, he's such a sweet boy! He seems like such a caring individual._"

"_Oh yes, and he's so friendly_!"

Twitching slightly, Roxas threw his morning textbook into his locker before slamming it shut. 'I am so tired of all these wistful looks; don't these people have anything better to do?' Sure, he'd get whispers about people pining for him too but it's not like it was because people generally liked him in a romantic sense. No, it was because of his family and looks. He leaned against the locker's cool metal surface with a scowl on his face. 'And what's this? They're all checking their timers?' He watched amusingly as some select individuals within the throngs of people – girls anyway – subtlety glanced at their timers, wanting to see if theirs matched up with Riku's or Sora's. His brother kept his visible usually while Riku didn't really care; it all just depended on his attire for the day. At the moment, it was indeed visible. Roxas on the other hand usually kept his hidden beneath his checkered wristband. In all actuality, he was a bit like Riku; he didn't really care one way or the other.

"Roxas!" Sora cried out, waving a hand once he and Riku got within hearing range. He extended his arm outwards to clap the blond on the shoulder and he did so with a grin. "Let's go out for lunch, Riku said he'd drive." Not one to pass up a free ride especially if it was for open lunch, Roxas nodded quickly.

"Sure, where we going?"

"There's a place in the middle sector that isn't too far away from here if we take the highway." Riku explained as put away his things. "We can make it back in time if I speed." Paling slightly, Roxas was reluctant to agree but to hell with it, he was hungry. Once the three boys got into the car, Roxas eased into the passenger seat, having finally been able to sit in it. "How are your classes so far?" Riku questioned softly. When Roxas opened his mouth to speak, he was immediately cut off by Sora and well, he wasn't surprised.

'Hah, I should have known he was addressing Sora.' The blond thought with smug look. Crossing his arms, he turned his attention to the sky. His sky blue eyes traced along the whirling cirrus clouds, watching as they moved ever so slowly. 'It makes me a little envious seeing those two together.' He glanced over at Riku quickly, noticing how the gentlest of smiles was evident on the older boy's face. 'It almost makes me think that finding a soul mate is the furthest thing from their minds. It's kind of like they don't even need one since they have each other." Pulling his wristband down a little, he studied his timer.

_8 Days, 11 Hours, 59 minutes, 4 seconds_

_8 Days, 11 Hours, 59 minutes, 3 seconds_

'The days just keep getting smaller and smaller, huh?' Roxas mused. 'In only this amount of time, I'll be meeting someone that I'll be with forever.' He would have sighed but he didn't want the other two questioning him, 'I wonder what she's like.' Glancing over at Sora this time, he watched as Sora's brows perked up in surprise at something Riku had said. 'What I had said yesterday suddenly seems a little pointless. I feel like Sora is the type of person that would be just as happy even _without_ his soul mate. I'm not sure he knows what loneliness is – I mean, he's got his best friend with him. He's not the type of person to dwell on something as being alone.'

_8 Days, 11 Hours, 58 minutes, 54 seconds_

_8 Days, 11 Hours, 58 minutes, 53 seconds_

_8 Days, 11 Hours, 58 minutes, 52 seconds_

Roxas looked back at the sky once again. 'It makes me wonder if my soul mate is looking at this sky too. Is she thinking of me too?' Was she also looking up at this sky and thinking to herself how she wanted to meet him too? Was she sitting outside her house or looking out the window, wondering, if he was thinking about her? Suddenly, his heart began to clench painfully within his chest. Seeing Sora and Riku laughing so easily with one another was enough to make him shake with jealous fury. He felt so alone right now.

Why couldn't he have someone to turn to like Sora had with Riku?

Why couldn't he have a friend that was his and his alone?

Why was so _angry_?

The pain in his chest was overwhelming. 'Why does no one smile at me like that?' It was a question he knew he could never find the answer to. Sure, he dated girls in the past but it was nothing more than a short-lived period of time. 'I liked them, but I never smiled at them like the way I should. But I guess…it's because they weren't my soul mate.' Closing his eyes, he inhaled slowly before exhaling just as slowly, ultimately deciding something.

'You know what? I want to see you too.'

* * *

Author's notes: Kyahhh! I'm done! I had a hard time with this chapter, I'm not even sure I got the words out the way I wanted to. This chapter was also a bit angsty, at least on Axel's part. But it's a cute image isn't it? - Roxas and Axel looking up at the sky and wondering if their soul mates are thinking about them too? :) This one? About 3.3k.

My inspiration for this chapter was yaoi hands provided by Usami Akahiko, Miyagi Yoh, and Kusama Nowaki. Also, Takano from Sekai Ichi Hatsukoi. Thank you beautiful semes, I LOVE YOU ALL. ESPECIALLY YOU MIYAGI.


	4. 5 Days, 19 Hours, 12 minutes, 57 seconds

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts

Chapter: 4 "**5 Days, 19 Hours, 12 minutes, 57 seconds**"

Author's Notes: First off, thank you to all that reviewed, favorited, or followed! I'm glad that you all are enjoying it so far! :) And I'm sorry that things are progressing slow but hey, it's all just leading up to a fantastic meeting, right? Follow me on tumblr for fun posts, Akuroku, and the ranting I do as I write this fic! hellfirepheonix . tumblr .com

Thank you to **Fireotaku18, sakurasapprentice7, Azurela, meeka-eela, Formidable Rain, mangamichelle12, NobodyWriterXIII, mudkipluvr4ever, ****and**** Hinata's Shadow for reviewing! **You all rock and I just love you all. I love everyone that reads though :)

* * *

"Damn, school was brutal today." Roxas cursed out as he leaned back against the brick wall that enclosed his school. It had been a long day but thankfully, school had just ended. He was alone today since Sora was away at a cross country meet with Riku. He couldn't hang out with Hayner either for his best friend was grounded after having been caught fighting Seifer on school grounds. Crossing his arms, he looked up at the grey, cloudy sky. "I had two tests today; Chemistry and AP Psychology all on the same day." He wasn't too worried about psychology, it was still just the first unit and it was basically all general terms. Chemistry was something he was a bit nervous about; stoichiometry just wasn't clicking in his head right now. It all didn't make sense in his head. He had to convert things, figure out moles, cancel out stuff, and well, he was struggling a bit. "I don't think I failed but I don't think I did that great either." An image of his parents popped up in his head and he paled slightly.

He could see them now; Leon looking at him with a stern expression and Cloud frowning angrily. He wasn't all looking forward to their wrath should he bring home a failing grade. "Seriously, school started last Monday, why is it that I already have two tests the second week of school?" Suppressing the need to scoff in annoyance, he picked himself off of the brick wall and threw the skateboard he had in his hand to the ground. "I guess I could always go home." He murmured to himself as he put one foot on the skateboard. Adjusting the straps of his backpack, he kicked off with one foot and began skating down the sidewalk. Knowing that if he went home now, he'd be forced to do chores, he hummed. 'I'm not really in the mood for chores right now though.'

Where should he go now then?

Winding through walking pedestrians on the street, Roxas agilely made his way towards his unknown destination. He suddenly stopped. "Actually wait, I still have time to kill, maybe I'll go to that café in the middle sector." With a small grin, he nodded determinedly and began skating towards the middle sector. It wasn't relatively far if he took the railcar. After a quiet half an hour of traveling, he found himself outside the café. Pushing the glass door open, he looked around and saw a few tables being occupied by people his age. They were all spread out relatively evenly throughout the café looking at ease as they chatted away. Walking up to the register, he slipped a hand in his back pocket to pull out his wallet. He ordered a Chai tea latté and floated over to a seat after receiving it. Roxas propped his skateboard up against his chair and leaned back in his chair.

Closing his fingers over the plastic cup, the blond brought it to his lips and sipped gently, not wanting the heated liquid to burn his tongue. He reveled in its sweet taste, his eyes closing a little happily. 'This sure calms me down; nothing like a little tea to relax the body.' Roxas grinned as he placed his tea back down. Pulling down his checkered wristband, he turned his attention towards his timer.

_5 Days, 19 Hours, 12 minutes, 57 seconds _

_5 Days, 19 Hours, 12 minutes, 56 seconds _

_5 Days, 19 Hours, 12 minutes, 55 seconds _

_5 Days, 19 Hours, 12 minutes, 54 seconds_

'Five days left, huh? That means I'll get to meet her on Saturday.' Somewhat of a dreamy expression covered his face as he began to lose himself in his thoughts. In his mind, he began to envision a short girl with a full waist – not thin but a little curvy – and an average sized chest. At the moment, she lacked a coherent face but the more and more he thought about her, the more her face began to take shape. He felt like an artist; illustrating bits and pieces of the masterpiece that was indeed his soul mate. Little by little, she became more and more real to him. She would have a soft, kind voice that chimed like bells and small hands so he could eclipse them in his. She'd have soft hair so he could his fingers through them when he held her and most importantly, she'd love him and he'd love her. 'I wonder what she looks like, blond maybe?'

"…Excuse me." A broke cut in through his thoughts. He blinked and turned his attention to his right and saw three young girls hovering beside him. "We were wondering if you were using that other chair. Could we borrow it?" The blonde one asked kindly. Her eyes were big and blue and he was vaguely reminded of the ocean. Beside her, the other two girls smiled.

"Oh yeah, sure." Roxas replied back distractedly, hurrying to his feet so he could assist. Cloud and Leon had taught him well, he never hesitated to help when he could. They all smiled graciously at him as he picked up the vacant chair and brought it over to the girls' table. Upon setting it down, he turned back to bid them farewell before pausing, having just noticed their clothes. They were all wearing plaid skirts and short-sleeved collared shirts with ties around their necks. "Do you guys go to that all-girls school in the middle sector? Our Lady of Radiant Garden?"

The girls settled into their seats and nodded. This time however the raven haired girl answered. She smoothed out her plaid blue and white skirt, "Yep! We're all Lady Garden girls." She gestured over to the girl on the right. "This is Naminé." She then moved onto the girl with the red hair. "That's Kairi." She then pointed to herself. "And my name's Xion." The private school girls all looked up at him expectantly, seemingly waiting for something.

Not even a second had passed before Roxas blushed, having forgotten his place. He quickly got his stuff from his table and moved his chair over to join his new friends. The blond pulled up his chair a bit so he could sit beside Xion. "My name's Roxas. I go to Radiant Academy."

"That's in the military sector, right?" Kairi asked, tucking a strand of auburn hair behind her ear. She leaned an elbow against the edge of the table and cupped her face in her hands, watching for his reaction. At his nod, Kairi hummed. "I thought so. What's it like? Is it nice?" Knowing that these girls had probably never been to a public school before, he answered truthfully.

"Yeah, it's a pretty nice school. We've got a top-of-the-line cross country team but we're pretty well known for our athletics program overall. I think we're like the number two ranked seed in the whole city." Roxas then blinked. 'Holy shit, I sound like I'm bragging.' While he knew that all schools were opened to any kind of student, he didn't want to seem like he was showing off. In all honesty, Roxas would rather they didn't know about his famous family line. He then cleared his throat, "I'll be graduating at the end of spring term."

"Oh wow, that's something. We're all juniors ourselves." Naminé replied back. "Our school's not that bad. It's a nice school; it's opened to all families, not just ones in the middle sector." She then laughed a little. "You'd think it'd be an expensive kind of school but they're really sympathetic. They'll let you attend even if you don't have an ounce of munny or gil." The blond immediately nodded at that, it sounded nice.

Xion drank from her cappuccino and licked her lips. "So tell us about yourself, Roxas. Do you have any brothers? Sisters?" Before he could open his mouth to reply, she cut him off again and spoke instead. "I've got an older brother myself, but I was adopted so we're not blood-related. He's a senior at Radiant Garden University over in the middle sector."

"I've got an older sister." Naminé spoke up.

"And I've got an older brother." Kairi too explained.

Roxas nodded. "I see. I have a younger brother who goes to Radiant Academy with me. We're the same age but we're not twins or anything like that." At their perplexing looks, he rubbed the back of his head, a trait he picked up from Sora no doubt. "Yeah, he and I were adopted too. Our parents left us after the war and we were adopted by a couple of retired military soldiers." He flinched almost inwardly, not wanting them to know about Cloud or Leon. It wasn't that he was ashamed of his parents; no, quite the contrary, it was just that he didn't want to be seen as another prize in the eyes of these three girls. He liked them; they were nice and seemed to genuinely like him for him.

"That sounds nice." Kairi said with a smile. Roxas' lip curved upwards to return her smile when he suddenly stopped himself. He noticed how sad hers looked and couldn't find it in him to smile. Did she not have parents? He managed a weak smile and shrugged his shoulders a bit. "Parents are always good to have." He admitted reluctantly though she didn't seem fazed by his words. The four friends lapsed into a somewhat comfortable silence before Naminé hummed softly and turned her attention towards her wrist.

"Hey, look at this." She extended her thin arm forward and placed it wrist side-up on the table. "It's really going down, isn't it?" Kairi and Xion gasped a little in awed surprise as they both nodded. "It won't be long now, will it?" Not wanting to be rude, Roxas averted his eyes slightly, moving to sip his tea. Noticing his detached self, the blonde giggled a little. "It's not that big of a deal, Roxas. You can look too."

"Nah, it's none of my business." He laughed.

Naminé only shrugged, the small smile never leaving her face. "I've got 11 days left."

"Five for me." He found himself saying back before he could stop himself. Xion and Naminé laughed at his quick response, causing him to blush cutely. They proceeded to coo at him, ultimately making him blush even more. With his attention occupied however, he hadn't noticed Kairi's piercing gaze. She was studying him silently, her brows furrowing a bit.

'Five, he said? How very interesting.' The auburn haired girl mused. Thinking about to her brother's timer a few days before, she began to count. 'It's close.' Kairi thought slowly, hiding a small smile. 'Could it be?' With an eager smile, she giggled to herself and joined in on the conversation. The four friends conversed and conversed, losing themselves to the serenity of their meeting.

_5 Days, 18 Hours, 45 minutes, 25 seconds_

_5 Days, 18 Hours, 45 minutes, 24 seconds_

_5 Days, 18 Hours, 45 minutes, 23 seconds_

* * *

"Good morning, Axel!" Kairi cried out happily as she flung herself onto her brother's unconscious form. He groaned in reply and shifted so that she was sitting on his chest and not anywhere else lower. Despite her wake-up call, he turned his face away, wanting to sleep a bit more. It was an early Wednesday morning and she was about to head off to school but not before waking her older brother up. It was something of a routine but she was glad to do it; he did after all work many hours into the night in order to support them both. "Wake up, you lazy bum, you'll be late for your 10 AM." She reminded, playfully slapping him across his bare chest.

"…Go away." The crimson haired man groaned back, trying to turn on his side but being physically unable to since his sister was sitting on top of him. Truth be told, he could easily flip over but he didn't want to hurt her. He knew he had a 10 AM class, hell, he signed up for that months ago. Axel really badly just wanted to skip and sleep the day away. If he could, he'd sleep all day. Sleep sounded real good right about now.

"Axel…" Kairi warned, her tone a bit stern. Vaguely, he was reminded of his mother's sharp tongue and he couldn't help but smirk a little. She reached forward and pulled on one of his long red spikes. "I'm not telling you again, get up." Kairi tugged at it again when he didn't reply and it was only _after_ she saw a flash of annoyed green eyes that she relented. Giving her brother a cheeky grin, she leaned forward and kiss his cheek. "There's breakfast on the table, okay? I'm going now."

Before she could pull away, he extended a long arm out and wrapped it around her waist, crushing her to his chest. Kairi squealed in surprise but relaxed visibly as she took in his smoky scent. She didn't approve of his smoking habits but the smell did remind her of him and that was always comforting. Axel touched his lips tenderly to her forehead before smoothing out her bangs with his thin fingers. "Have a good day, little sis. Be good for me." And with that, he allowed himself to fall back asleep, his arms falling limp.

She slipped out of his embrace and gave him her best smile. 'I'm not really sure who your soul mate is Axel but if it's who I think it is, you're going to be so happy and so loved.' From her time with Roxas, Kairi knew she could trust him with her brother's heart, if it _was_ him anyway. Roxas had explained how he was very eager to meet his soul mate and she herself couldn't wait. Her brother deserved so much – he really did. Kairi closed the door to her brother's room gently behind her before making her way out of the house. Pulling her school bag closer to her, she hummed a distinct tune Axel had once sung for her. 'I just hope that those two can look past certain things like their sex for example.' She hopped down a step and stopped, berating herself slightly. 'Be realistic though Kairi, Roxas said he had 5 days and in all honesty, it's probably someone else.' She let out a sad sigh. 'It's not like they're really synced up but still…It'd be nice if they were.'

More than anything, Kairi just wanted her brother to be happy.

'I can't fill his void forever.'

_3 Days, 23 Hours, 31 minutes, 49 seconds_

_3 Days, 23 Hours, 31 minutes, 48 seconds_

_3 Days, 23 Hours, 31 minutes, 47 seconds_

_3 Days, 23 Hours, 31 minutes, 46 seconds_

* * *

Author's Notes: And alas, it is done. We're at Day 3 now. The next chapter is the day of reckoning, I can't wait. It's going to be amazing for all of us. **That's right guys, next chapter Axel and Roxas finally meet **:) Leave a review if you liked it! New chapters come out every week! Until next time!


	5. 1 Day, 8 hours, 14 minutes, 17 seconds

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or its characters

Chapter: 5 "**1 Day, 8 hours, 14 minutes, 17 seconds**"

Author's Notes: Thanks to all those that read, reviewed, favorited, or followed! Much thanks to those that reviewed, I didn't think we'd be so close to 50 already! Just 5 away! : ) I usually do this at increments of 50 so alas! Listen listen! **If this fic can get up to 50+ reviews, I will select one person at random and write a drabble for them. You can give me a prompt but if**** you can't think of a prompt, I'll come up with one and write you one still. Try to make it KH or if you're feeling awesome, Junjou Romantica hahaha. KH is preferred though.**

Thank you to **i-really-cant-write, Azurela, mangamichelle12, xMoymoy, I'mNotInLoveYet, xXHereGoesNothingXx, mudkipluvr4ever, K . Friskey , Hinata's Shadow1, Formidable Rain, NobodyWriterXIII, RainbowYuki, sakurasapprentice7 **and of course **an anon!** I love you all! : )

Anon: And yep! Sora, Riku, and Roxas are all considered prizes due to Cloud, Sephiroth, and Leon's high military rank. They were all heroes of the Zanarkand War.

This chapter is dedicated to **Claudia** and **Sabrina **because they both kept me company last night when I stayed up to 3 AM writing this for you all. They're amazing and I love them lots. Enjoy everyone! : )

* * *

"Kairi! Xion! Naminé! Over here!" Roxas hollered out as he stood up from his spot in the bleachers and waved a hand. A couple days had passed since he had met the three private school girls and after trading contact information, they arranged to meet once again. Today was Radiant Academy's first cross country meet and he made sure to invite them all to watch his brother and Riku compete. While they had yet to meet his friends, Roxas knew that Sora and Riku would welcome them into their circle with open arms. After spotting the blond, Naminé, Xion, and Kairi made their way up the steel steps, huddling close due to the large amount of people watching the meet. "Hey guys, did you find the place okay" He asked as he quickly scooted over to make room for his friends.

"It was a little tough but it was fine when we asked for directions. Your school is pretty big, Roxas." Kairi huffed out as she took a seat by his side. Xion sat beside her while Naminé drifted to sit on his right. Setting her schoolbag by her feet, she allowed her oceanic orbs to roam her surroundings. "Your colors are purple and white?"

"Yeah, we're the Soldiers, after all. We're practically the Shinra Company's trademark school. I mean, that's where we got our mascot from anyway." He swayed a little in his seat before he extended a hand out and pointed an index finger. "Do you see No. 47 right there? That's my brother Sora. And then do you see No. 26 right beside him? That's his best friend Riku."

"They seem close." Naminé observed expertly, watching as the two shared what looked like a pep-talk. "Have they known each other long?" Roxas nodded absentmindedly and opened his mouth to speak when suddenly the announcer's voice boom throughout the track. "Oh, it's about to start!" The blonde cried out in surprise as she and the rest of the audience stood to their feet. Immediately, people began to cheer for their respect teams. Being the home school, the loudest of them all, the students of Radiant Academy cheered loudly. Some students began to stomp their feet against the flooring of the bleachers, their excitement radiating in their actions. From across the track field, the marching band began to play a fanfare of encouragement.

Roxas glanced over at his friends, a happy grin on his face as he saw how equally excited they were for Sora and Riku's cross country meet to start. Although it had only been a couple days since he had met them, he really felt like they truly liked him for him and not because of who he was. Sure, people admired him, but Kairi, Naminé, and Xion, they just simply liked him. As he turned back to cheer for his brother and friend, time began to pass.

Two hours to be exact. The meet had ended and now the teams were all on their way home. Roxas, along with the girls, were waiting outside the boy's locker room for Sora and Riku. Not even a second passed before the boys emerged from the locker rooms looking all showered and radiant. Sora's hair was a bit damp while Riku's looked extra full and thick. "Roxas!" Sora cried out as he ran forward and touched forearms against his brother's. "We won!"

"Yeah, I saw!" Roxas replied back earnestly. "You and Riku did great, like always." Sora reached up to fold his arms behind his head while Riku simply nodded at the compliment. Kairi poked her head out from behind him and Roxas blushed, forgetting his place again. "My bad, Kairi." He apologized. Roxas straightened up and gestured over to the private school girls. "Guys, these are my friends." As he moved from left to right, his hand hovered in front of each girl. "Kairi, Naminé, and Xion."

"It's nice to meet you." Sora and Riku both said back though Sora's was a bit more exuberant. "You're the ones that go to Our Lady of Radiant Garden, right? Roxas told us about you guys yesterday. It's good that we're finally able to meet like this!" The brunet smiled. The three girls couldn't help but smile back; there was just something about Sora that made them so at ease.

"It's very nice." The blonde agreed as she folded her hands behind her back. "Sora, Riku, you two ran well. There's no wonder that your school has the best cross country team in the city." Sora rubbed the back of his head bashfully while Riku chuckled softly under his breath.

"That's nice of you to say." Riku inquired humbly. Shifting his duffle bag to the other shoulder, he pulled out his phone and scanned the digital numbers on his phone. "We still got some time to kill before I need to take you home." His beautiful turquoise eyes shifted to look over at his friends. "You guys want to get a bite to eat somewhere?" He noticed Xion, Kairi, and Naminé's wary glances and smirked charmingly. "I can drive you guys home too, there's no trouble."

"Are you sure?" Xion found herself asking, not wanting to be a burden on her new friend. When Riku nodded in response, she and the other girls relented. "Alright that sounds good then! Where should we go?"

"There's a pretty nice place not too far from here." Roxas spoke up. "It's this place in the military sector called '7th Heaven. It's a pretty popular bar after hours but we got some connections. You in?" After getting the okay, they all piled into Riku's car. While the back row felt a little crowded and a bit overstuffed, the new friends were immensely enjoying their time together. Riku was tapping his fingers against the steering wheel, Sora and Roxas were fighting for the right to control the radio, and Xion, Naminé, and Kairi were all laughing comically at the two feuding brothers. Riku only had to drive for about ten minutes when he pulled into the parking lot and they all got out. Holding the door opened for them, he waited until they all entered before he too entered into 7th Heaven.

"Oh! It's you guys!" A feminine voice called. "A table of six, I see."

"Hey Olette!" Roxas greeted as he walked over to the hostess' stand. Olette was a close friend of his and was dating his best friend, Hayner. Although the two bickered a bit due to her being hardworking and him being lazy, they were a cozy twosome. "Yeah, that'd be great." He answered, referring to her second statement. The brunette hummed in understanding before leading them all to a booth at the southern end.

"Let Aunt Tifa know we're here, okay?" Sora spoke up once he settled into a spot beside Riku and Xion. The emerald eyed girl hummed again that she understood before swiftly walking away back towards the bar area of the restaurant. Riku leaned back against the soft cushioning of the booth behind him as he lifted an arm to place it on the rim of their booth. His arm was so close that the back of Sora's spikes brushed against his pale skin. No one said anything about it though – Xion, Kairi, and Naminé were too busy looking through the menus and Roxas was busy staring at his timer. Sora and Riku were if anything, at ease with their closeness, contact between the two best friends was common. As his brothers and friends launched into their own conversations, the blond allowed his attention focus solely on the numbers on his wrist.

_1 Day, 8 hours, 14 minutes, 17 seconds_

_1 Day, 8 hours, 14 minutes, 16 seconds_

_1 Day, 8 hours, 14 minutes, 15 seconds_

_1 Day, 8 hours, 14 minutes, 13 seconds_

_1 Day, 8 hours, 14 minutes, 12 seconds_

_1 Day, 8 hours, 14 minutes, 11 seconds_

'Tomorrow, huh?' Roxas questioned mentally, his brows furrowing a bit. Brushing a thumb over the decreasing double-digit number, he felt his heartbeat begin to quicken slightly. 'I can't believe that I'm finally meeting her tomorrow, it feels a little surreal.' Cupping his chin in his right hand, he stared down at his left wrist. 'I wonder where I'll be when I meet her. Maybe I'll meet her at school? Or maybe on the way to school? Maybe even the way back home?' Mathematically calculating the numbers in his head, he deduced that he would meet her sometime in the evening. Refocusing his attention on his timer, he saw that nearly eight seconds had passed and he watched interestingly as it slowly wound down to zero seconds. 'Now it's only 1 day, 8 hours, and 13 minutes.' Playing with the rim of his glass, he traced along the curve. 'I hope she likes me.' He thought, suddenly feeling childish.

"Roxas!" Sora called, poking his brother on the center point of his forehead. The blond quickly surged into attention, quickly diverting his attention away from the timer on his wrist. "Aunt Tifa has been standing here for the past three minutes waiting for you to order!" Shooting his gaze over to his brunette aunt, she indeed was smiling at him teasingly. Roxas mumbled an apology as his face turned bright red. He randomly pointed to something on the menu to hide his embarrassment.

She laughed genuinely and reached over to ruffle his blond locks. "It's alright sweetie, you get that from Cloud. She looked over at his selected meal and she laughed one again. "I'll just give you what you usually order." Tifa said briefly before briskly walking away towards the kitchens.

"Did I order something stupid?"

"You pointed to something alcoholic." Xion supplied for him helpfully.

"Damn."

The raven haired girl giggled at him before turning her attention over to the silver haired teen that was busy staring blankly at his own drink. From what she could gather, Riku was a quiet individual. While he was stoic and only spoke when spoken to, she could sense the kindness in his heart. "Thanks in advance for bringing us home, Riku." He shrugged in response so she continued. "You may want to drop off Kairi and Naminé first though."

"Yeah, we both live in the middle sector." Kairi replied with Naminé nodding beside her. "We're not that far away from each other though so you could technically just drop me off with her. I can walk to my place, it's no trouble."

The eldest teen brushed her off with a shake of his head. "No, I'm perfectly fine driving you to your home. It's after hours and I rather not take any chances of you getting hurt just because you don't want to impose." At his answer, Xion smiled. Riku really was a kind person. The auburn haired girl blushed a little at his answer but nonetheless, she smiled in thanks. "Where do you live, Xion?"

"I'm in the military sector too."

"That's where I remember you from!" Tifa suddenly rang out as she and a bunch of other servers carried their food over towards them. She expertly balanced a variety of dishes on her arms before placing them down as per their order. "You're Yuffie and Vincent's daughter, aren't you? How's your brother Zexion doing?" Xion, still confused, didn't respond. Placing a hand on her hips, Tifa leaned against the table. "I could tell by your hair and eyes."

Blinking a little, Xion still felt confused but smiled nonetheless. While it was true that she was indeed adopted, she still felt like their biological daughter. In all actuality, she had even cut her hair short to resemble her mother more. Blushing a little at the brunette's kind words, Xion felt her heart swell with pride. "Yep, that's me. My name is Xion Kisaragi-Valentine. I'm their youngest child. Do you know my parents?"

"Oh yes." Tifa said with a proud smile. "We've been friends for years. They actually helped out immensely with the Zanarkand War." Before she could go into detail however, someone began calling for her back the bar. "Oh damn, guess I have to go." Furrowing her brow and huffing slightly, she sent a wary look towards the other bartenders before turning back to the group of friends next to her. "Sorry kids, looks like my time is up. Drop by again, okay?" Tifa sent another dazzling smile their way before making her way back to the bar, stomping towards the bartenders angrily.

"She seems nice." Naminé commented lightly, biting into her grilled chicken. "Is she a sister of your father?"

"She's more of a close friend of his. They grew up together so she's like an aunt to us." Sora explained through a mouthful of food. He felt a gentle tug on the back of his head and didn't need to think twice to know that it was Riku. Playfully glaring at his best friend, he continued to shove more food down his throat. After the third tug however, Sora rolled his eyes and sat up straighter, eating his food in a more suitable manner. "So, are you guys doing anything tomorrow?"

"I'm not." Kairi answered.

"Nor am I." Naminé replied.

"I'm free too." Xion added.

A happy grin laced Sora's lips. "Really? That's great! You guys want to hang out again tomorrow? There's a movie showing tomorrow. It's that new comedy that just came out; do you guys want to watch with us? Riku can drive you guys home too if you need him to!" Roxas snorted in amusement at how easily his brother was able to decide for Riku but it did not seem like the silver haired teen minded. It was almost as if Riku was fine doing things for Sora even if it was out of the blue like this. Naminé looked nervous once again but after a shared glance between her, Xion, and Kairi, she nodded. "Awesome! Okay, so here's the plan…" And as the brunet began to detail the events of tomorrow, they all listened eagerly. Sora, Riku, and the girls looked interested at being able to spend more time with their new friends while Roxas seemed mildly disinterested.

Why?

His timer was going down, way, way, _way_ down.

_1 Day, 7 hours, 47 minutes, 48 seconds_

_1 Day, 7 hours, 47 minutes, 47 seconds_

_1 Day, 7 hours, 47 minutes, 46 seconds_

* * *

'Why the hell is she in the military sector?' Axel growled out mentally as he read over the text message Kairi had sent him. Granted, he had known that she would be with her friends but he had no idea that she would be hanging out with them in the military sector of Radiant Garden. 'Now that I think about it, she was being really vague about what she was doing.' He distinctly remembered her saying that she would be with her 'friends' but what other friends did she have that lived in the military sector other than Xion? It was a Saturday and he had just gotten off the evening shift over at the supermarket. After making the drive from the middle sector to the military one, he found a space to park and took to the streets in order to walk to the movie theater Kairi said she'd be at. In order to get there however, he needed to cross the main plaza which was busiest part of the military sector. It was understandable though, after all, the main Shinra company towers were located here. Sneaking a glance at the two Shinra towers, his eye twitched a bit before he turned away and resumed his walking down the sidewalk.

After tightening the black scarf around his neck, he shoved his hands down into the pockets of his formal work pants. His pea coat hugged his frame tightly to which he was thankful for; it was a cold night. The wind picked up around him, ruffling his red spikes and he couldn't help but sigh softly.

Today was it.

The promised day.

Feeling his face heat momentarily, he groaned and rubbed the back of his head. 'Ah, this is bad. I'm so fucking nervous.' He had been waiting for this day his whole life, so why was it that right on this very day, he was so nervous? Axel could even hear the erratic pounding of his heart in his own ears! His hands began to grow warm and he couldn't help but wipe them over his sleeve, trying to quell his rapidly beating heart. 'Idiot, calm down!' He berated himself. 'I still have a lot of time, don't I?' The last time he had glanced at his timer, it was right when he got up and he could have sworn it said something around 18 hours or so. Maybe anyway. Somewhere in the background noise of the bumbling city, he heard the distinct sound of a bell ringing, signaling the chance to cross the street. Hundreds upon hundreds of people walked on either side of him as they all took a chance to cross against the darken pavement. Some were men, some were women, and some were children with their families, while some were just aimlessly walking.

He didn't know which category he was in; maybe aimlessly walking. Stepping up the ramp that led to the other sidewalk, Axel made his way to the main plaza area where a grand fountain stood incased in beautifully purple light. It was the military sector's centerfold – the main point of interest if one were to set foot into Radiant Garden's military sect. It was also within perfect distance of the Shinra Inc.'s imposing towers not that he cared of course. Looking at the time on his phone, he hummed contently. "I've still got some time before I have to go pick up Kairi at the movie theater. I guess I'll just stay here for a bit." And with that, he sat down on one of the wooden benches by the fountain.

He finally had some free time.

Inhaling slowly, his eyes fluttered closed. He hadn't been able to look at his timer all day and he was, well, pretty excited. Axel had been dying to look at it all day but he was a justified man and kept to his code that he would never look at the timer whilst at work. Exhaling just as slowly, he opened his acid green eyes and turned to face the timer on his left wrist.

_0 Days, 0 hours, 0 minutes, 30 seconds_

_0 Days, 0 hours, 0 minutes, 29 seconds_

_0 Days, 0 hours, 0 minutes, 28 seconds_

_0 Days, 0 hours, 0 minutes, 27 seconds_

_0 Days, 0 hours, 0 minutes, 26 seconds_

"What's this!?" Axel shouted, eyes growing wide in alarm. 'It's already down to the last thirty seconds!? When did this happen!? Fuck!' Although he had just been previously sitting down, he quickly bolted to his feet. He involuntarily began walking around though to where, he wasn't sure. It was almost as if his feet were just moving on his own and he wasn't the one in control. The coat of sleeve fell down a bit and he quickly grabbed at it with his teeth and pulled it down even more, exposing his thin arm.

_0 Days, 0 hours, 0 minutes, 23 seconds_

_0 Days, 0 hours, 0 minutes, 22 seconds_

"Where? Where? Where?!" The crimson haired man questioned over and over again, shooting his eyes upwards to his surroundings. There were a few hundred people in this plaza right now, how could he find her?! The citizens of Radiant Garden were walking about and it almost looked like a blur to him. His eyes would travel from his wrist to his surroundings, his surroundings to his wrist, and then back again. He saw women chatting together, men and women walking together, children playing in the background, but** where was she?** "Left? No, right?!" His heart began to thunder in his chest, so loud, that it almost drowned out the sounds of passing cars and chattering citizens. 'God, I am so close. Fuck, I am so close to meeting her! Where is she?!' He was on the verge of desperation – even Kairi seemed like a distant thought right now. Axel scanned every woman around him, watching and hoping that they would somehow be looking at their timers too but to no avail. Not wanting to despair, he kept on walking, looking up and down from his timer to the various women around him. Some where attractive, some were skinny, some were quiet, and then some weren't alone. Wait, why aren't any of them looking at their timers? **Where was she?**

_0 Days, 0 hours, 0 minutes, 15 seconds_

_0 Days, 0 hours, 0 minutes, 14 seconds_

_0 Days, 0 hours, 0 minutes, 13 seconds_

'Fuck! Where is she!? She has to be walking towards me or something! Or maybe behind?' He quickly pivoted on his feet, looking forward sharply. Yet again, he didn't see any women that looked remotely interested in looking at their timers. Turning back the other way, he looked down at his timer and just kept on walking blindly, not even caring that he was knocking into people. Vaguely, he could hear people swearing at him but he didn't care, there was no time to care. 'Where are you!?' He mentally shouted out, feeling his heart begin to tighten.

_0 Days, 0 hours, 0 minutes, 8 seconds_

He was practically running through the crowd of people now with his eyes glued to the quickly decreasing numbers on his wrist. Why did it seem so slow before!? Time was going by too fast and he was struggling to even catch up. "Get the fuck out of my way!" Axel suddenly bellowed as someone refused to move out of his path. He heard something along the lines of '_Fuck you too_!' and just continued on walking, his eyes never leaving the timer on his wrist. 'I can't miss you, please! Where are you!? I-I need you so badly!'

_0 Days, 0 hours, 0 minutes, 4 seconds_

_0 Days, 0 hours, 0 minutes, 3 seconds_

_0 Days, 0 hours, 0 minutes, 2 seconds_

_0 Days, 0 hours, 0 minutes, 1 second _

_0 Days, 0 hours, 0 minutes, -_

Axel quickly looked around him when suddenly, something slammed into his chest. Expecting it to be the girl of his dreams, he looked downwards and saw that a young boy was sprawled out on the ground with his hair looking very disheveled. He was a teenager, that much was obvious. The college student only got a glimpse of dirty blond hair before rage burned inside him. 'I don't have fucking time for this!' Axel roared inside his mind. His eyes narrowed into slits as he glared fiercely at the person who had just run into him. "Stay out of my way, you damn brat!" Using his long legs to his advantage, he stepped away from the boy and kept on walking, his eyes growing wide. '_Why don't you watch where you're going next time, you fucking asshole_!?' Someone screamed back at him, the boy he assumed. Silently cursing at the little fucker who ran into him, he clicked his tongue in annoyance and looked at his timer.

_0 Days, 0 hours, 0 minutes, 0 seconds_

_0 Days, 0 hours, 0 minutes, 0 seconds_

_0 Days, 0 hours, 0 minutes, 0 seconds_

_0 Days, 0 hours, 0 minutes, 0 seconds_

Suddenly, his blood ran closed as his eyes glazed over. Four numbers were flashing on his wrist but why was it that he was utterly alone right now Where was his soul mate? She was supposed to be here, _right here_! Axel began to pant, his chest rising and falling at an alarming rate.

_**0 Days, 0 hours, 0 minutes, 0 seconds**_

_**0 Days, 0 hours, 0 minutes, 0 seconds**_

"00:00:00." He read out, clenching his fists so hard that he practically drew blood. 'Did I miss her!?' The crimson haired man mentally screamed. His eyes began to sting and he could feel a foreign wetness at the corner of his eyes – _dammit_! He refused to cry, he never cried in his whole damn life! 'I missed her…! I can't believe I fucking missed her…!' Not even caring that he was standing in the middle of a busy plaza, Axel collapsed onto the ground, covering his face with both of his hands. Seriously, fuck everyone around him right now. His body began to shake and he resisted the urge to just start vomiting on the sidewalk – he felt like his heart was about to fucking _shatter_. Feeling like he was about to have a panic attack, he pulled on his red spikes, trying to distract himself with the feeling of actual pain and not the pain resonating from his heart. "Fuck! Fuck, fuck, fuck! This is utter bullshit!" Axel screamed, curling the fingers of his right hand into a fist and striking the ground harshly. He punched the concrete ground repeatedly, not at all caring about the bruised or broken knuckles he'd get in the morning.

Because really, what the hell was he supposed to do now?

With no one to call his own, to love and to cherish, he was alone.

"Axel!" A feminine voice called forth before he indistinctly heard the sound of running footsteps. His eyes burned with the unshed tears that threaten to spill out but he refused to cry. He hadn't cried in front of strangers ever since he had been born. Not even when his father told him he'd kill him and his sister and certainly not when he left his home behind. But right now, he really wished he _could_ cry. "Axel!" The voice said again and he'd know that voice anywhere – Kairi. "Big brother, what's wrong!?" She asked, collapsing onto her knees too and looping her arms around his. The movie had just ended and she was the first one out of the theater, or she thought. Did Roxas already run into him? "Axel, talk to me, please!"

He couldn't tell her, there was no way he would tell her. He was the shield that protected her from harm and he was not about to let his credibility go to waste. He had protected her for years; it had been he who had raised her. "Kairi…" He said brokenly, turning his face away from her so she wouldn't see how upset he was.

A parent should never cry in front of their child.

It symbolized weakness or so his father kindly taught him.

He heard her suck in a breath but that was when a sharp frequency burst sounded throughout the air. "_Attention, citizens of Radiant Garden. I, Rufus Shinra, your President, call forth your complete attention._" Both redheads looked up in alarm, both turning towards the large LCD screen that the main governmental building boasted. And around them, others halted in their activities, all watching their esteemed leader with curious eyes. The screen flashed and it showed an image of Rufus Shinra sitting at his large, wooden desk with two Turks flanking his sides. Axel's eyes widened as he took in the stoic faces of his mother and father – so they were alive! Elena and Reno looked passive as they stood guard beside their commander. "_Good evening everyone._" Shinra said with a smile as he folded his hands atop the desk. "_I hope you all have been well. I come to you with great news; after all these years, we have finally done it. You are all aware of the timers placed upon the wrists of those that had been born after the war, yes? After many years of careful studying and research, we have now been able to track those that have been unable to meet their soul mates when the timer reaches zero."_ Various gasps were heard throughout the crowd and even Axel himself sucked in a breath. "_Although this applies only to those that have failed to link up with their soul mates, I assure you that it will affect anyone from this point on. In exactly three seconds after this message is delivered, an update for your individual timers will circle throughout Radiant Garden. If you have indeed met your soul mate but you do not know or remember who exactly it is, an alert system will activate on your timer. It will flash an image of the person as well as their name. I hope you all will use this to your advantage and seek the ones truly meant for you. Good day, Radiant Garden._" The two Turks looked smug but anyone with trained eyes could see the wistful and melancholy glints in their eyes. Kairi clasped her hands together and longingly looked at her parents; maybe they did miss them after all. The screen flickered off and all was quiet.

Axel was at a lost for words. Did this mean that he now had a second chance of meeting his soul mate? If so, he swore on his own life, that he would definitely not let her get away.

3.

2.

1.

The college student looked at his left wrist and it was at that exact moment that various beeps began to sound throughout the area. The 00:00:00 on his wrist flashed once before a holographic image pierced the air. It was produced from the mechanism in his timer and his throat suddenly turned very dry. "Roxas Strife-Leonhart." His emerald greens grew wide – it was that boy, that fucking boy who ran into him! His soul mate was a _man_!? And a _child_ of all people!? _A fucking little boy!? _"This is fucking bullshit!" Axel shouted out loud, his eyes slitting angrily.

Kairi's eyes also grew wide at the reaction her brother was having. She had no idea he would react so violently. He looked positively enraged and fear flickered in her heart. "Axel…?" She whispered, placing a hand on his arm. He fiercely turned towards her and Kairi immediately took a step back, hating the look in his eyes. He looked absolutely murderous. Hearing three beeps behind her, the auburn haired girl pivoted on her feet and saw Sora, Riku, and Roxas standing right there. Riku and Sora were facing one another and were looking at the holographic produced images with shocked expressions while Roxas was glaring at her brother.

"Sora Strife-Leonhart." Riku read out, his eyes growing wide.

"Riku Cetra." Sora too read out.

The two best friends simultaneously looked up and stared straight into each other's eyes. They had been best friends for years and knew each other inside and out. What they had was a feeling of friendship and dependence that one could only call brotherly. They were destined to be soul mates? They held each other's gazes briefly before both took a step back, an uncomfortable feeling in the air. Sora took another step back and looked away, not being able to face Riku right now and likewise, Riku did the same.

"Roxas…" Kairi said breathlessly, not expecting her friend to be right there. Hearing that name from his sister's lips, the crimson haired man looked to the side and saw his intended 'soul mate' standing four or so feet away from them. Roxas ignored her call and growled, the fists by his side clenching irritably.

"Axel Gongaga." He spat out, his lip curling as he spoke. "You…you're the one!? Don't fucking make me laugh! What the hell am I supposed to do with someone like you? You're not a goddamn girl!" Roxas shouted, breathing hard. "What am I supposed to do with a dumb ass old man who can't even walk a straight line!? This is pitiful!"

"Roxas!" Kairi and Sora suddenly shouted in alarm. Kairi didn't like her brother being spoken to that way and Sora especially did not like his own brother speaking in such a way.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me!" Roxas bellowed. He was beyond enraged and absolutely furious. He had been waiting for days, fucking _days_, to meet the girl of his dreams. And when time came down to it, it was fucking boy. He wasn't even into guys! He had this perfect image of his soul mate; she'd have soft and long blond hair, short, and posses a slightly curvy body but no, what he got was the complete fucking opposite.

A skinny-ass fuck.

A tall-ass fuck.

And a fucking _guy_, no less!

"You think I'm fucking happy with this too, you little shit!?" Axel equally screamed out, jumping to his feet and clenching his fists. He was not one to take this kind of shit from anyone and he was through with being the adult here – if this 'Roxas' guy wanted to talk like a man, he'd better be able to fucking take it like a man. He crossed over to Roxas in two quick strides and grabbed a fistful of Roxas' shirt, hoisting the younger boy up in the air till their foreheads practically touched. "Don't think for one second that I would put up with someone like you either! What are you, twelve!? You must be because you sure fucking act like it! I've been waiting for years to meet my soul mate and to think, I waited for your dumb ass? Fuck that, I'm not having any of it!" His fingers clenched even more on Roxas' shirt and the blond growled angrily, glaring up at Axel with uncharacteristically cold blue eyes. "Listen here little shit, I don't need someone like you in my life! I'll be damned if I ever learn to love a man – no, a _boy_ such as yourself!"

That was it. Roxas' eyes burned an ice blue as he reared his arm back and swung it forward with the intent to punch Axel across the face. He didn't care that Axel was droning on about him not being female, hell, he's doing the same thing right now. What did piss him off was how Axel was basically undermining him right now simply because he was younger. He was too slow however for Axel caught the boy's fist in his own hand and clenched, hard. Resisting the urge to cry out in pain, Roxas bit his tongue and swung the other arm forward. "I wouldn't want to have anything to do with you either, lady-hips!"

"Axel, stop!" Kairi cried out as she jumped and began pulling her brother's arm back though he didn't even budge. If it wasn't happening to him, Roxas was sure he'd be laughing his ass off but it was unfortunately happening to him. Axel was holding him nearly a foot up off the ground by his shirt while Kairi was holding onto the very same arm yet he wasn't breaking a sweat. Riku and Sora had snapped out what trance they had been previously in and were now moving towards the three people. Sora was quick to pull on Roxas' clothes, wanting his brother get away from the violent man as quick as possible. Riku on the other hand was getting ready to swing his own fist at Axel. "Enough with the fighting!" Kairi screamed out loudly, halting everyone's movements. "Axel, let go of him, _now_." She demanded, her voice resembling her mother's once again.

Cursing under his breath, the college student let go of Roxas harshly, stepping away and shoving his hands back into his pockets. Roxas, growling under his breath, reached up to grab at his rumpled shirt, the icy look in his eyes never leaving its spot. Riku stood protectively in front of the two Strife-Leonhart brothers, his own set of turquoise eyes burning intensely. "Leave. You obviously made your point. Get out of the military section or _I_ will take it upon myself to make sure you don't come back."

Axel grunted, his eyes focusing on that of Riku's features. "Silver hair and blue eyes. I see, you must be the General's son." Axel deduced with a smug smirk. "Whatever, come on Kairi, we're going home." Throwing his scarf over his shoulder, he watched it billow in the wind briefly before glaring one last time at Roxas and began walking away. A sad sigh escaped Kairi's lips as she looked from her brother's retreating back to that of her friends.

"I'm sorry it turned out this way." She said, feeling the need to apologize on behalf of her brother. Roxas quickly averted his eyes to the side and she felt her heart break. "Roxas, please give him a chance. He has the biggest heart, he really does." How could she have known things would turn out this way? Kairi wanted so much for her brother but now what could she do for him? Kairi clasped her hands together, her brows furrowing a little. "Roxas?"

The blond before her turned his back on her. "I don't want to have anything to do with him. He may be my 'soul mate' but he'll never be anything more than just someone passing by. I don't want to see him ever again." Roxas bowed his head a bit and sighed somewhat softly. "I'm sorry too Kairi, he's not kind of person I want."

"Kairi! Now!" Axel's voice thundered from a distance.

"I'm coming!" Kairi yelled back. She looked back at her three friends and inclined her head in an apology. "I'm so sorry, everyone." Not wanting her new friends to see her tears, she quickly turned and jogged to the direction Axel had exited to. Sora watched her go with sad eyes before turning back to his equally upset brother. Sharing a brief glance with Riku, Sora inched forward and took Roxas' hand in his.

"Don't think about it too much Roxas. You have me." He stated truthfully, squeezing his brother's hand.

"All I need is you." Roxas answered, squeezing back. Riku watched the two brothers with still eyes before sweeping his eyes to look at the slowly disappearing figures of Axel and Kairi. Clearing his throat, the silver haired teen nudged his head forward in direction of his car, signaling the need to go home. The three walked towards Riku's car and not once did Sora and Roxas let go of one another's hands. Riku remained in silent respect as he climbed into the driver's seat. He turned his head to side and saw that the passenger seat was unoccupied.

Sora wasn't there.

Looking in the rear-view mirror, he saw Roxas and Sora sitting very close to one another with their heads touching. The two siblings were leaning against one another looking all too absorbed in their own thoughts. His eyes zeroed specifically on Sora and he felt his head explode with thoughts. 'So you're the one?' He had never been in this kind of position before. Sora was everything to him but that was because they were best friends – how could they have known they were each other's soul mates? Things were beginning to get very complicated. And just like that, relationships were now broken. They could never go back to the way things were now, there was simply no way.

* * *

Author's notes: This turned out a lot darker and angsty than I had anticipated. Oh well, I'm very satisfied with the result. I can only hope that I was able to write a good meeting! I know you were all looking forward to this chapter so I really hope I didn't disappoint any of you! This is the longest chapter to date, it's around 7k I think. But! Do not fret : ) Now we need to work on the relationship growth between Axel and Roxas. It's going to be filled with even more drama, just you wait!

Read and review pretty please! : )

Until next time! Follow me on tumblr for fun posts and rants! hellfirepheonix dot tumblr .com and I'll make sure to follow back!


	6. 271 Days Left

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or its characters

Chapter: 6 "**271 Days Left**"

Author's Notes: Yoohoo! Hey everyone! Thank you for all the reviews, favorites, and follows! I got at least 10 reviews within 24 hours of posting that last chapter so that was really nice to see! Thanks so much! : ) Okay so I assigned everyone a number and used a random number generator to select a 50th reviewer dedication and RainbowYuki has been selected. Congrats congrats!

I love you guys: **LifesLover, ****I'mNotInLoveYet, xMoymoy, Formidable Rain, HappyFacesMakeTheWorldStopDe ad, ShiShi-theLion, mangamichelle12, sakurasapprentice7, RainbowNinjaD, A Hannar Darkly, mudkipluvr4ever, Azurela, Black Heart 124, ToffifeeKat, NobodyWriterXIII, TheSitarGirl, I-really-can't-write, Hinata's Shadow1, WeLived, RainbowYuki, FireOtaku18 **and **WeLived**

YOU GUYS ARE MOTHERFUCKING AWESOME AND I HEART EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU. THIS IS MY THANKSGIVING PRESENT TO YOU. NOW GO ENJOY : )

* * *

"Axel, I'm home!" Kairi shouted out as she entered in through the wooden doorframe of their apartment. She had just returned from a dinner outing with Sora, Roxas, and Xion. After hearing no response, she frowned a little. "He must be out." The auburn haired girl concluded with a shrug as she bent down to undo the laces of her shoes. Upon crouching down however, her oceanic blue eyes caught sight of something and she couldn't help but glare down menacingly at it.

It was a pair of black heels studded with rhinestones.

They were both overturned, suggesting that they had been removed rather hastily. Kairi scoffed as she turned her attention over to the pair of black shoes that no doubt belonged to her brother. They were left carelessly flipped over as well but this was a usual occurrence due to his laziness and the teen merely grunted once she saw it. "He's at it again." A total of two weeks had passed since the fateful meeting between Axel and Roxas and not once did the two seek one another out. If anything, it was almost as if time had been reversed. Her older brother had immersed himself with school and work in order to avoid her pestering him about Roxas. Likewise, Roxas always found some way to change the subject whenever she asked him about Axel. It was obvious the two had no desire in ever being together, let alone just talking with one another. But there was a difference between now and then. In those two weeks since they had met, Axel had undergone a bit of a change and it definitely did not go unnoticed by Kairi's wise eyes.

Lately, her older brother had been returning home late, not due to work, but because he was out gallivanting in the night. On more than one occasion, she had stumbled out of her bedroom in the dead of the night for a glass of water only to find him passed out on the couch and wreaking of cigarette smoke. Sometimes, he'd smell of alcohol and badly worn perfume. She wasn't stupid; she knew why Axel was acting this way.

He was rebelling against his timer.

Granted, he and Roxas had indeed met, but in order to prove that he would _never _form anything so much as a relationship with the boy, he had taken it upon himself to enjoy his sexuality to the fullest. Kairi couldn't count how many times she had found a pair of heels at the foot of front door. Axel was bringing home women simply because he wanted to _forget_ he had ever met Roxas. And the only way to prove he did, was to busy himself with other people. He was being promiscuous and she did not like it one bit.

"This is going to stop. Now." Kairi stated with a hard glint in her eyes. She set her shoes neatly by the door before dropping the mail onto the kitchen countertop. Throwing her bag to the floor, the teen quickly made her way towards her brother's closed bedroom door. "Axel -!" She raised a fist to bang it against the wooden door but instead, she just rolled her eyes and threw it open. Kairi took in a quick breath, mentally preparing herself for any scarring images she may see. What she ended up seeing however was something entirely different.

"You are the most egotistical asshole I have ever met!" A raven haired woman shrieked loudly as she hurried to pick up the last of her discarded clothing. She had a sheet wrapped around her skinny frame and began fuming about the room. Her hair was looking extremely disheveled and unkempt, swaying madly from left to right as the unknown woman bent down to pick up her things. She scoffed under her breath as she turned murderous eyes over to Axel, "Aren't you going to say anything!?"

The crimson haired man simply closed his eyes, taking in a deep drag of his lit cigarette. He leaned against his wooden headboard and was dressed in nothing but a pair of loose sleeping pants that hung low on his hips. Kairi made a move to enter the room but the stench of sex and perspiration in the air made her stop dead in her tracks. Shaking her head, she pinned her brother with a disapproving look. "I don't plan to, no." He answered smoothly. Acidic green eyes swept over to look at his younger sister and when he saw the disgust in her eyes, a shadow crossed his. Clicking his tongue to mask his hurt, he inhaled more of the smoke. "What are you still doing here? Leave." Axel said after he blew out the smoke.

The brunette uttered a gasp in total surprise and furrowed her brows. The nerve of that man! Now fully dressed, she clenched her fists in anger. "You asshole! What about earlier!? Didn't it mean anything to you!?" The auburn haired teen bit her lip and took a step back, averting her eyes slightly. This girl was being persistent and she knew her brother would not take lightly to that; his eyes might just –

Axel threw his head back as he let out a harsh bark of laughter. He turned to look at her and even Kairi flinched at the awful uncaring look in his eyes. "Don't be absurd! Of course it didn't! You were nothing more than a fuck, simple as that. You've served your purpose now get out."

"What!?"

"I said leave, dammit!" Axel roared, his eyes slitting dangerously. His patience was beginning to wane and he for one could not stand the sight of this girl any longer. Kairi flinched at the sound of her older brother's voice, all too well remembering this side of him. This wasn't the first time she had seen him reacted so violently, no, she had seem him like this when he and Roxas had first met. Turning her attention back to the scene unfolding in the redhead's bedroom, Kairi stepped to the side as the mystery woman stomped out of the apartment with angry huffs and tears. Waiting to hear the door slam, Kairi remained silent. When she heard the definite smack of the wooden door against its doorframe, she tilted her head at Axel.

"Again, Axel? Where did you meet this one?"

"That doesn't concern you." He immediately bit back, glaring at her slightly. The teen in turn glared right back, not at all fazed by her brother's intimidating personality now that unknown woman he had shared himself with was now gone. "I mean it Kairi, _drop it_." He crushed his used cigarette in the ashtray sitting atop his night table and stood to his feet, straightening out his stiff muscles. "Well? How was school?" Axel questioned, changing the subject.

"It was fine." Kairi answered still somewhat stiffly. Looking around her brother's room, she took notice of the carelessly thrown clothing on the floor. Axel usually kept his bedroom relatively tidy so she didn't say much about it for he might have been having a busy week with school and work. And girls. "I'd sit on your bed but I don't think it's safe to."

"Hah." He chuckled out though it seemed laced with desperation, sarcasm and pity for himself. Running his fingers through his hair, he twitched a little at how greasy it felt between his fingers. Walking over to his dresser, he took a green towel off one of the shelves and threw it over his shoulder. "I'm going to shower. Yell if you need me." And with that, he exited his bedroom, walked past her, and made his way towards the bathroom. Hearing the click of the door closing, Kairi rolled her eyes.

"Idiot." Shaking her head once again, she traversed down the hallway and into the kitchen where she immediately began sorting through the mail. "Typical." The teen said out loud as she threw the advertisements and bills onto the kitchen countertop. She would leave the bills for Axel to look at later. "Hold on, what's this?" The second to last letter in her hand was a strange looking one; it was red and was addressed to both her and Axel. Tilting her head a little in confusion, she dropped the other letter to the ground and proceeded to turn the red letter over. It was sealed shut with a wax seal but not just any seal; no, it was the seal of the Shinra Electric Power Company. Her eyes roamed over the red insignia of her father's workplace and she hurried to break the seal. What could it be?

_The Shinra Electric Power Company  
__Radiant Garden_

_It gives me great pleasure to send my greetings to the families of our Turks, SOLDIERs, and SeeD Mercenaries. Each of you has done your part to serve our grand city of Radiant Garden and it because of you that we did not fall to Zanarkand. Your service and sacrifice has forged a bond of fellowship that time and distance cannot break. Together, we confronted danger and endured terrible hardships. We rose to the challenge and not one of you faltered under this great pressure. Many of your brothers, sisters, mothers, and fathers gave their last full measure of devotion so that others could live in freedom. Your legacy and familial accomplishments in defense of liberty will never be forgotten and Radiant Garden is forever in your debt. Join me, Rufus Shinra, in honoring all those that helped us win this war. I ask all military and Turk families to come to the main Shinra tower so that we may all relish in our victory together. It has been twenty long years since we triumphed against the Abes of Zanarkand. Let us gather together to celebrate the strength of our city. _

_Rufus Shinra  
__President of the Shinra Electric Power Company  
__Leader of Radiant Garden_

"What've you got there?" Axel asked as he came into the kitchen wearing a fresh pair of sleeping pants. His chest was slicked with droplets of water and his spikes drooped a little due to its dampness. His towel was slung over his shoulder yet again but this time, he was using it to dry out his crimson spikes.

"We got a letter from Shinra." Kairi replied, extending her arm out so she could let her brother see. He took it from her and held it in between his thumb and forefinger, his eyes sweeping from left to right quickly. Axel read it quickly and grunted, throwing it back to the kitchen table as he drifted over to the fridge for a glass of water. "You don't want to go?" She asked, hopping onto the wooden stool and cupping her face in her hands. When her brother didn't reply, she continued asking. "Why not?"

"It's none of our business, Kairi. We didn't fight in the war."

"But it's address to the families too."

"Kairi, we're not going."

Clenching her fingers into a tight fist, she shut her eyes tightly. "I want to see Mom and Dad!" She screamed out, feeling her heart tighten. Axel paused and shut the fridge door, turning to look at his sister. Her shoulders were shaking, was she about to cry? "I know that you're mad at them because of what Dad said, but that was a long time ago! They're going to be there and you know it!"

The crimson haired man sighed softly. "Kairi…"

"Axel, I just want to see Mom and Dad." She said with a frown as her eyes fluttered back open. Seeing them on the screen was not enough. "It's been so long and I miss them so much. And think about it, Axel. The Zanarkand War is over; maybe we can be a family again." Turning her attention over to him, her oceanic eyes studied his emerald ones intensely. "Don't you miss them too?" Crossing his arms roughly, he grunted and looked away.

"Of course not." Hearing that, Kairi let out a defeated sigh and nodded. She never liked inconveniencing her older brother. After all, he was the one who supported her. Everything he did was for her and her happiness; she wasn't about to be selfish just because she missed their parents. Not wanting to make her upset however, Axel drifted over to her and gathered his younger sister into his arms. Her arms wound themselves around his thin waist as he pressed her to him comfortingly. "If you want to see them that badly, we can go." Axel told her softly, his voice almost inaudible.

"Really?" Kairi asked, looking up at him with sparkling orbs of blue. "We can go?" He smirked and nodded, reaching up to smooth his fingers over her auburn hair. "Thank you!" She cried out, nuzzling her face against his chest and causing him to laugh. 'I can't believe it! We're going to see Mom and Dad!' Kairi thought, warmth beginning to swell within her chest. She hadn't seen her mother and father in over twelve years and dammit, she was excited. "I wonder what it'll be like." Kairi sighed out loud, resting her head on his strong shoulder.

"It'll probably be super boring." Axel answered with an amused grunt. "Just think about it Kai, lots and lots of people in business suits. I might even be mistaken for our father now that I think about it." A full-blown grin then laced the college student's lips. "We'll have to get you a hot dress too so they freak the fuck out when they see you." He then paused. "But no halter-tops or anything above the knee though, you understand?" Rolling her eyes, Kairi shrugged, not exactly promising him anything. "When is it anyway?" As the two redheaded siblings conversed more about future plans regarding their attendance to the Shinra Electric Power Company's reunion, they began to lost track of time. With a newfound hope in their hearts that they may finally be able to reunite with their parents, they looked onward towards the rising moon.

* * *

"I am _not _telling you again, Roxas! Get dressed!" Cloud yelled from downstairs in the front room. He huffed angrily and turned back to the task at hand which was hurrying to finish doing Sora's tie. Today was the day of the reunion party for Shinra Inc. and the house of Strife-Leonhart were scrambling to get ready. At the moment, Cloud and Leon were fully dressed while Sora struggled with his tie. Roxas was nowhere to be found to which Cloud could only assume that the boy was still not finished dressing. He took the wide end of the necktie over to the right and pulled it up behind the loop before bringing it through the loop. He tightened it gently and somewhat expertly before smoothing out the brunet's collar. "Alright Sora, go to your father, you need to pass his inspection too."

"But Dad," Sora sighed out, scoffing, "I look fine! Can't I just go watch T.V now or something?" He reached up to fumble with his tie but one glare from his blond father made him stop quickly. "Why does Dad even care anyway? The last time I checked, he never had to overlook my wardrobe for school!"

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Cloud closed his eyes and inhaled slowly. Letting it all out, he let out a small hum. "It's because he was the original SeeD Mercenary to join our cause. We're all representing him so it's best to look our best as well. You are his son, Sora and so because of that, you are a reflection of him. Hell, we all are. You and Roxas will also be representing me as I was once a member of SOLDIER. We were both heroes but your Dad was something special. It was because of him that other mercenaries followed suit in his example and joined us SOLDIERs. It ultimately gave us the final boost in numbers that we needed to defeat Zanarkand. If anything, your father is the best SeeD Mercenary in existence; he's arguably almost as famous as General Cetra."

Hearing that last name made Sora flinch slightly and he quickly looked away to avoid any questions as to why he acted the way he did. Thankfully, Cloud didn't say anything about it, probably because he was still distracted in waiting for Roxas to come downstairs. He vaguely heard his blond father yell for Roxas once again before he pivoted on his feet and made his way towards the office area where he knew his other father would be. Since this was a party held by Shinra, he was surely to see Riku at the reunion. He was the son of a renowned SOLDIER and general after all, there was no way Riku _wouldn't_ be there. Wrapping his arms over his torso, he shivered a little at the feeling in the pit of his stomach. He was going to see Riku, and he was going to _today_. Shivering again, he made the trek over to the family's office space and lapsed into an uncomfortable silence.

'I haven't talked to Riku in three weeks.' Sora thought, rubbing his left wrist subconsciously. He had managed to avoid having to be taking to and from school by his best friend in the way that now, he just carpooled with Roxas. If anything, it probably should have been like that from the very beginning. After learning that he and Riku were soul mates, he felt extremely conflicted. He didn't know what to make of it; what was he supposed to say or do? 'Soul mates are people that are in love. But I'm not in love with him and he's certainly not in love with me. Why is that we were chosen for each other?' While he himself had no problems forming relationships with those of the same sex, he wasn't quite sure he was ready for something like that with Riku of all people. Sure, he and the other teen had their share of closeness and understanding with one another but this was different – soul mates were supposed to be in love. And well, he was definitely not in love. He and Riku were like brothers! At practice, he could narrowly avoid Riku by running faster or slower depending on his mood. He felt like a coward for doing so but he was so _confused_.

He hadn't spoken a word to his friend in nearly three weeks.

And likewise, Riku didn't seek him out either.

Not having Riku in his life was difficult; he felt tense and uneasy. For years, Riku had been his stabilizing point, the one to point him in the right direction, and the one to save him if he were to fail. What was he supposed to without him? He'd lie if asked but in all honesty, he never felt more _alone_ than he did right at this very moment. He uttered a sigh, pausing in his walking to involuntarily rub at his left wrist again. Feeling something caress his arm, he looked towards his wrist and flinched once again, removing his hand. He had just touched his timer without even knowing and that frightened him beyond relief.

Did he really need Riku as much as he did?

Why couldn't he function without the other boy?

'I don't understand any of this.' Sora cried out mentally, shaking his head to rid them of such thoughts. He didn't want to lose Riku but he also didn't want to have to be with him just because a timer said he needed to. He loved Riku but his love for the older teen was purely platonic and brotherly, not at all laced in the romantic sense. Sora had watched his two fathers for years and knew how deeply they cared for one another but even now, he couldn't picture him and Riku like that. But what could he do to get him back? Did he have to fall in love with Riku just for him to be by his side again?

He missed him.

He missed him so_ badly_ that he could cry.

Sora didn't want his soul mate, no, he didn't care about things like that.

He just wanted his best friend back.

"Sora, come here." Leon said gruffly and effectively snapping the brunet out of his thoughts. Said teen looked up and nodded, drifting over to his sometimes ornery father. Leon uncrossed his arms and stood with one hand on his hip, his eyes roaming over his son's figure. Sora was dressed in black formal pants and wore a burgundy collared shirt that looked freshly ironed and crisp. Overtop of it was a black vest that he had tucked into his pants and he also had on a burgundy tie to match his long sleeved-shirt. "Good, you look handsome." Leon complimented warmly, reaching over to ruffle his son's brown locks.

"Dad's going to get mad at you for doing that. He spent a whole hour trying to do my hair." Sora stated with a laugh. His hair had always been unruly and spiky so he was really confused as to why Cloud had tried at all. "Roxas isn't done yet or if he is, he's not downstairs yet."

"Well then, we'll just have to remedy that, won't we?" The retired mercenary wrapped a well-toned arm around his son's shoulders and together, they walked out of the office area. They made it to the front room where Cloud was now busily fumbling with Roxas' tie. "I see you've finally left your room." Leon observed, raising a brow in amusement. His eyes raked over Roxas' form and he couldn't help but nod in approval. Roxas was dressed in a pair of black slacks and wore a collared grey shirt that also looked ironed to perfection; Cloud must have gone the extra mile for their boys. Whereas Sora did not have his jacket on, Roxas did. At the moment, his son was busy fingering the grey tie he had around his neck. "Alright, we all ready to go then?" After receiving the confirmation that they all were, the brunet nodded, taking out his keys from the side pocket of his pants. "Let us go then."

* * *

"Woah, this is incredible!" Sora and Roxas gasped out as they both paused in their walking to take in their surroundings. After a short fifteen minute drive, they had made it to the main Shinra tower. Upon taking the elevator up to the top floor where the President's personal penthouse was, the men of the Strife-Leonhart family entered into the residency of President Rufus Shinra. The penthouse itself was already lavish and lush with chandeliers sparkling beautifully in the light. The main party room was decorated with stunning colors and people were stretched out all over the place. There was even a grand door that allowed patrons to converse on the rooftop. From there, they could overlook the city and all its nightlife and lights. The attendees were dressed in the finest of clothes; suits and dresses littered about but that was to be expected, this after all was a gathering of the upper class.

"It's not all that exciting." Cloud in turn replied as he allowed his eyes to sweep across the room. He and Leon had been here countless times before as soldiers of war and while now it looked even more luxurious than before, it didn't concern them too much. Beside him, Leon slipped his hand in his, showing claim to all those around them that Cloud was his. The blond didn't mind of course for he would've done just the same if Leon had acted a second later. As Roxas and Sora continued to busy themselves with taking it as much of their surroundings as they possibly could, Cloud and Leon scanned the area, trying to locate past comrades and friends.

"Cloud! Leon! Hey, over here!" A voice called, drawing the ex-SOLDIDER's immediate attention. He looked towards the direction of the voice and a genuine smile laced his lips. It was Zack Fair, his closest and most precious friend. Zack was also a member of SOLDIER and had been fighting alongside him for years. They were like brothers and watched each other's back during the tide of battle. Beside the raven haired man was his beautiful wife, Aerith. She had the fairest skin and eyes that glittered like emeralds. The two families merged together, hurrying to converse.

"It's been far too long." Aerith stated kindly, bowing her head a little as she regarded her old friends. Her emerald green eyes swept over to look at the teens and a mothering twinkle glinted in her eyes. "Come here, my boys!" Reaching forward, she took both Sora and Roxas into her arms, kissing both of their cheeks affectionately. "And look at you two! You've both grown up so strong!" The brothers laughed at their aunt's antics, not at all bothering to move away from her teasing kisses.

"We've missed you too, Aunt Aerith!" Sora laughed out, his eyes closing as he lost himself in the brunette's affections. Truth be told, Zack and Aerith weren't truly their aunt or uncle. Just like with Aunt Tifa, they had both been there to help raise the boys and so because of that, Roxas and Sora ultimately considered them as members of the family. In regards to Aerith, she was like the mother they never had; she coddled them all the time and was always there when they needed her. Seeing as Aerith, Sora, and Roxas were busy updating one another with information and news, the warriors took time for themselves.

"It's good to see you." Leon acknowledged with the extension of his hand. Beside him, Cloud leaned against his side. Zack chuckled and rubbed the back of his hand with one hand while the other was used to give Leon a firm handshake. "How's everything been? Are you and Aerith traveling still?"

"Yeah, it's been a little tough. Things are still rough with Zanarkand and we're always going to and from there to help with foreign affairs." Unlike Cloud, Zack was still a full-fledged member of SOLDIER. Being so, he was forced to leave home for extensive periods of time. Aerith always travelled with him as she hated being apart from him and likewise, he always wanted her along with him. "It's been twenty years but it's hard to forge a trusty-worthy partnership when there's been history of war between us." Catching movement out of the corner of his eyes, he grinned and spread out his arms. "Boys! You're breaking my heart here!" Almost knowingly, Cloud and Leon both took a step back. In a split second, Roxas and Sora launched themselves at their uncle, laughing uncontrollably. The SOLDIER merely grinned again at their antics, moving so that he could wrap one arm around each of their small waists. He hoisted them up and swung them back and forth, laughing alongside them. "That's more like it! Now tell me you missed your Uncle Zack! Don't worry, I won't tell your aunt that you guys missed me more!"

"Like we'd ever say that!" Roxas answered, ducking his head to avoid being playfully hit by his uncle. Over on the other side, Sora was nodding in agreement. "Of course we missed Aunt Aerith more!"

"It must be nice to see them growing up, huh?" Aerith asked, folding her hands behind her back. She stood in between Leon and Cloud and the three looked on proudly at the boys they all raised. They really were growing up to be such caring and kind individuals. Cloud and Leon laced their fingers together once again as they looked onwards at their laughing sons. Those boys were practically everything to them. How could they have known that they come to love them as much as they did now? "Yes, they've grown up big and strong." The brunette stated in a mothering fashion. The two retired soldiers could only nod; when they had first found the boys, they were so sickly and frail. But now, they were big and strong. Cloud then blinked confusingly as something seemed to register in his mind.

"Aer, where's Yuna?"

She tapped her nose and smiled. "She's with Rikku at the moment. I imagine they're somewhere around here." Yuna was her and Zack's nine year old daughter while Rikku was Cid's daughter. The two girls were the best of friends as they practically spent every waking moment with one another. When she and her husband had to leave Radiant Garden in order to go to Zanarkand, they left Yuna with Cid and Rikku - not that young girl minded of course. Even at the tender age of nine, Yuna was beautiful just like her mother. She had inherited her mother's chestnut brown hair and kept it relatively short. Interestingly enough, Yuna had heterochromia, meaning that she had two different iris colors. Her left eye was green like her mother while her right eye was blue like her father. "Maybe they're with Cid." Aerith added as an afterthought.

"Good evening everyone." A low voice unexpectedly greeted, ultimately causing Cloud and Zack to stand to attention. Zack dropped his nephews gently to the ground before quickly turning around. Cloud and Zack stood completely straight and snapped their heels together, extending their right hand out to salute the man before them.

"General Cetra, sir!" Zack and Cloud immediately shouted, looking up at the silver haired man with eyes of steel. Before them stood their commanding officer and while Cloud was no longer a member of SOLDIER, he still showed his respect to the famous general. Sephiroth nodded and saluted them back, offering them a small smile. Standing beside him were his four sons and they all stood in accordance to their age from oldest to youngest. Loz stood beside his father while Yazoo stood beside him. Kadaj stood proud and tall beside Yazoo with the only remaining being Riku. Roxas moved to stand beside his own brother and he quickly looked over at Sora, wanting to make sure he wasn't upset or anything at seeing Riku. The brunet faced toward Riku but his eyes were casted downwards and in the same way, Riku's attention was elsewhere.

"Yes, a moment of your time, perhaps? I'd very much like to catch up." The adults moved away to talk amongst themselves with Yazoo, Kadaj, and Loz drifting over to join them. Doing so however ultimately meant leaving Sora, Riku, and Roxas to themselves. The three teens stood together but the silence was uncomfortable and awkward for many reasons. Roxas was at a loss for words – he had known of the turmoil between the two in regards to their timers but he didn't have it in him to say anything. He respected the two and kept his distance, looking away pointedly.

"Hello Sora, Roxas." Riku greeted politely, bowing his head a little.

"Hey Riku." Roxas replied back.

"…" Sora bit his lower lip, shutting his eyes. 'I hate this!' He screamed mentally, not at all liking the uncomfortable feeling of being in Riku's presence. How he wished he could go back in time, back to when he and Riku _didn't_ know about their synchronization. The silver haired teen looked at Sora's bowed head and raised a hand, laying it atop Sora's.

"I meant to call -."

"But you didn't." Sora swiftly cut in.

"I know, sorry."

"…"

Riku rubbed his thumb over Sora's forehead quickly before bringing his hand back down to rest at his side. "Come on, Xion's been waiting to see you guys. I was talking to her earlier; I think she wants you to meet her brother too." Grateful for the change in subject, Roxas nodded, reaching over to take Sora's hand. The boy immediately squeezed in thanks and the blond hid a smile. It didn't matter that nearly fifteen years had passed since he and Sora had met, they were still as synced as ever. They were brothers and loved one another greatly – they just wanted each other to be happy. If anything, Roxas wanted Sora to be so happy because his brother was such a special boy. He could only hope that he and Riku could get over this hurdle in their friendship. Since the two of them were indeed soul mates, they both should be able to make things right. They were already so in tune with one another, why couldn't they just move on with things and repair their friendsihp? As the three teens looked onwards, they saw Xion waving them over with a wide smile on her face. She was standing with her parents and a boy that looked older than all of them. Roxas couldn't help but smile when he saw her and beside him, even Sora was beginning to grin. Meeting and seeing new and old friends was always nice.

But were they prepared for what was to come tonight?

* * *

Author's notes: Hey all! Okay so I'm sorry for making Axel a douchebag haha. He's just an upset little carrot and is trying to vent by having sex. The next chapter is going to be even more fun, expect lots and lots of angry yelling : ) I really liked how the beginning part of this chapter turned out and I'm even more happy with how I wrote Zerith's part in the story. I really feeling like they'd be such a doting pair. Thanks for the read guys! You all rock! Read, favorite, review, and follow!

Remember to leave me a review : ) Getting 20 that last chapter made me squeal with happiness! We're 34 away from 100, my friends! Until next time! Have a great Thanksgiving! This is my gift to all of you : )


	7. 270 and a Half Days Left

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or its characters

Chapter: 7 "**270.5 Days Left**"

Author's Notes: Hello everyone! Welcome back to Countdown! : ) I am really sorry for the hiatus, I had finals and other things to think about but alas, winter break has started and that means I can write again! First off, I would like to thank all those that read and reviewed last chapter! I am really shitty at replying to reviews, it's something I really need to work on but my friends, we have our first fanart for Countdown! : ) It was done by the lovely Anne who I adore so much! She's so sweet and she is an amazing artist! Check out all her works on her tumblr under her art tag! : ) FF.N likes to mess up links so I can't post it here without it going all weird so find it on my profile page! But thank you so much Anne! : ) This chapter is dedicated to her, Clau, and Sabrina. I love you guys!

Okay so I need to re-edit the first chapter. I'll do that sometime soon, the timeline is messed up a bit but the one thing that is certain is that Axel and Roxas were born after the war. I just need to rewrite the part where Cloud and Leon came across SoRoku to avoid age confusion. Also, my hellfirepheonix tumblr had to be deleted so if you guys would like to follow me on my personal tumblr, just look up pintaaaax3 in the tags, you'll find me haha. There's also a link to my tumblr on my profile page.

Thank you to **Melodious Authoress**, **Luna's moon1100**,** sakurahanaalice**, **p3lu54, ToffifeeKatt, mudkipluvr4ever, Ash KH158, sakurasapprentice7, , NobodyWriterXIII, HappyFacesMakeTheWorldStopDe ad, Black Heart 124, I-really-can't-write, Azurela, RainbowNinjaD, Formidable Rain, RainbowYuki, **and** Hinata's Shadow1** for reviewing! :) I love you all!

* * *

"Wow, there is like some maximum security shit going on here." Axel observed as he whistled amusingly. He and Kairi drove up to the Shinra Company's main tower and were in the process of shutting their car doors. Dressed in black slacks, a simple yet neat white collared shirt, a red tie, and jacket, he looked dressed for wear. Walking around the car, he paused and took a step back to admire his younger sister. Kairi was in the process of smoothing out her auburn locks for the wind had whipped them up a bit. As such, she did not notice Axel's proud gaze. The week before he had told her not to wear anything that revealed her shoulders or stopped above her knee but she had ignored him completely and wore something that thwarted all his wishes.

But, that was why he loved her so much. She was stubborn and so strong. He liked to think he raised her well. Kairi's dress was that of a short, pink halter top with a white bow wrapped securely around her waist. It formed a straight ribbon across her flat stomach and ruffled at the hem, stopping at about her mid-thigh. The teen looked absolutely radiant. Hiding a small smile, Axel cleared his throat softly and tucked an arm to his chest, bowing his head a little. "Will you do me this honor of escorting you?" Lowering her hand, Kairi turned towards the towering individual and rolled her eyes. Nonetheless, she did giggle and nod, taking her brother's kind offer. Looping her arm around his, the pair of crimson haired siblings made their descent up the imposing steps to the main Shinra tower. There was a throng of people waiting to pass security and they were all dressed to perfection but that was to be expected of the upper class. Men and women were all moving about, trying to get in as fast as they could and not liking the situation, Axel slipped his arm out from hers. He then wrapped it around Kairi's shoulders protectively. Hugging her closely to his side, he led her up the stairs.

They bypassed many of the attendees without a single word, ignoring their disapproving complaints. These people might have been the families of military soldiers or Turks, but he and Kairi were something of Turk legacy – they were after all the children of Reno and Elena Gongaga. Upon reaching the top of the stairs, they were met with the sight of a very imposing looking man standing guard. He wore the typical suit of a Turk but he in particular had on dark sunglasses that shielded his eyes from view. His head was bare and he carried a smug look on his face, his hands folded at the front. "State your names." He said gravely.

"Axel Gongaga."

"Kairi Gongaga."

The man before them paused and studied them intensely. He obviously towered over Kairi but it seemed as though Axel was a few inches taller than him. The eyes behind dark rimmed glasses scanned their outward appearance but they lingered on the siblings' crimson hair and eyes. Reaching up, he took off his sunglasses and allowed a curt smile to lace his lips. "You've both grown up so much." The suited man repositioned his sunglasses and nodded his head in a form of a greeting. "It is good to see that you are both doing well. Do you remember who I am? You were both very young at the time so I would not be surprised if you did not."

Kairi's brow furrowed at his question as she looked at his face, trying to wrack her brain for the answer to his question. To her knowledge, she had never seen this man before but the way that he had looked at her and Axel seemed to disregard that statement. Try as she might, Kairi could not seem to remember. She bit her lip in a form of an apology and tilted her head, looking towards Axel. "Axel?"

"You're Rude, aren't you?" Axel asked, shifting his weight on his other foot. He couldn't remember much about Rude, only that he was his father's best friend and partner. The memories he had of him were scarce and small but he did remember him and that was saying something. "Yeah, I remember you." The crimson haired man added as an afterthought with a nod of his own.

"Your parents will be happy to see you two."

"We can't wait to see them too!" Kairi smiled, swaying a little on her heels. Beside her, Axel remained silent. Nudging her shoulder against his side, she cocked her head in direction of the door. "It was nice seeing you again, Rude. I'm sorry I don't remember you though." Kairi looked a little sadden that she indeed didn't remember him but Rude brushed it off with a kind nod, he wasn't mad at all. "Is there a way we could see them - ?"

"Kairi, no." Axel immediately said, cutting her off complexly. He looked at her sharply, his eyebrows turned in dismay. While he acknowledged that they would have to see their mother and father eventually, he rather it happened later in the night. He honestly was not sure if he could stomach seeing his father or mother again – a part of him still hadn't forgiven them for always putting their job before them. Axel loved them both dearly but he had someone he needed to protect, he'd do anything if it meant Kairi's safety and wellbeing. "They're probably busy anyway." Nodding at Rude once again, he nudged Kairi towards the door behind the man. "It was good seeing you again, Rude."

"Yes." Rude agreed, his stern expression reappearing back onto his face. He folded his hands behind his back and looked straight ahead, ready to monitor the attendees like the good security personnel he was. As the two siblings walked past him, he inclined his head a little, a whisper escaping his lips. "You're great kids." Axel's delicate hearing picked it up and he felt his resolve crumble a little. Not even a second ago, Axel held doubt and anger within his heart towards his parents, for Rude to say what he did just then, it was enough to make Axel feel ugly. Still, he allowed his expression to remain passive, wanting to be strong for his younger sister. Once they entered the building, they were amazed at the luxury of it all.

The hallway that led to the main party room was amazing in of itself. Decorations littered the whole area; there was not one space that didn't look decorated to perfection. Men, women, and children were roaming about, all too into their conversation as they caught up with one another on past memories. It was easy to tell who had served as a soldier of war for they all wore their rank proudly upon their breast. Walking past a few people, Kairi looked around in excitement. "This place looks absolutely beautiful. Its crazy how this isn't even the main foyer and yet it still looks so amazing."

"Yeah." Axel muttered distractedly, his eyes shooting from left to right. He didn't like this place one bit – everything here just served to remind him about the war that tore their family apart. As upset as he was, he was going to be strong for Kairi. He masked his sadness with a smooth grin, tapping his sister on the shoulder with his thumb. Leaning down, he spoke closely to her ear. "Come on Kairi, this place is a bore. Let's get to the main room, shall we?"

The auburn haired girl nodded quickly. "Let's do it!" Politely moving through the crowd, Axel and Kairi made sure to always be in physical contact with one another. The last thing they wanted was to be separated due to the mass of people trying to get into the party room. He held her hand in his, allowing her to lead the way towards the main doors. "You're so slow, Ax, hurry up!" Kairi stated hurriedly, pulling him even harder towards the northern part of the room. Her head was turned to the side, watching as her tall brother awkwardly made his way through the crowd. While she was small and could maneuver her way easily, Axel was tall and lanky. He had to be extra careful and mindful that his body and limbs didn't hit anyone. She was still a few feet away from him but trusting that he would find his way towards the front, she moved even further away. Amongst her walking, she didn't notice the people moving out of her way and the moment she faced forward, she stopped dead in her tracks.

Two people stood before her, one with intense crimson hair and then another with soft blond locks. They stood shoulder-to-shoulder, having paused in their walking too. Kairi's oceanic blue eyes connected with that of deep green and sky blue before hers widened in shock. "Mom? Dad?" She uttered softly, dropping Axel's hand completely so that she could cover her mouth. Reno and Elena looked up in unison, their stern visage suddenly dropping. They studied the young woman before them, not believing their eyes.

There was no mistaking it though; the person before them was their daughter. "Kairi?" Elena questioned back, hesitating to move forward despite how much she really wanted to. Her green eyes roamed her daughter's small figure, wanting to take in and memorize as much as she could. The last time she had seen her was when Kairi was very young and now so many years later, Kairi had grown up to be a beautiful young woman. Small tears pooled at the corner of her eyes but she was a Turk, she couldn't let anyone see her cry. Still, Elena felt a warming sensation within her chest. Beside her, Reno straightened his form, a small smile on his lips.

"Look at our little girl, she's so beautiful." He murmured softly, placing a hand on the small of Elena's back. That was all the encouragement she needed, if only one for second, she broke form and practically ran forward, throwing her arms around Kairi. Hugging her daughter to her chest, Elena embraced her happily.

"Oh Mom, I've missed you so much!" The auburn haired teen exclaimed, returning her mother's embrace with the encircling of her arms. She tucked her head into her mother's chest, taking in Elena's calming scent. "It's been so long! Oh mom, I'm so happy to see you!" Kairi called for her mother over and over again, loving the way the word 'mom' felt on her lips. Kairi wanted to make up for lost time, not having said 'mom' in such a long time, she felt like she really did need to make up for lost time. Elena could only agree, she hadn't heard herself be referred to that way in a long time and it was such a beautiful thing to hear. Pulling away from Elena but still remaining within an arm's reach, her eyes searched for her father. "I've missed you too, Dad, so much."

He nodded back, the smile never leaving his face. "I've miss you, baby girl." He admitted openly. Reno watched the two most important women in his life with loving eyes before a sharp voice cut into the air, one that had him completely straightening his form. His brows furrowed and his eyes turned sharp in preparation for what was to come.

"Dammit Kairi, I told you _not_ to leave my side! Shit, I could have lost you!" Axel huffed irritably as he pushed his way through the crowd, not wanting to be polite any longer. Facing forward, he was shocked to see Kairi in the arms of well, his mother. "Mother?" He questioned, eyes growing wide in surprise. God, she was right there, right _there_! The crimson haired man hadn't seen his beloved mother in so long and the sight of her before him was enough to make his whole façade crumble. How he wished he could run to her and embrace her tightly, tell her that he loved her and that he missed her greatly. But, he was a grown man now and he certainly was _not_ the young teen that left his home behind all those years ago. Shifting his gaze to the area behind the two embracing women, green eyes turned acidic. "_Father_." Axel spat out venomously, pupils slitting dangerously. He took a step forward, his fingers clenching into fists. "Kairi, get away from them _now_." It wasn't a statement, more like an order.

"What, no! Absolutely not!" Kairi bit back, her own brows furrowing. Clinging onto her mother tighter, she felt anger boil within her. "You knew we were going to see Mom and Dad! You knew that! Why are you so keen about wanting to get away!? We're finally together after all this time!" She had always been the stubborn and headstrong type; she was not about to let her brother take away the one thing she truly needed in this life.

"I said _now_, Kairi! Do _not_ argue with me!" Axel shouted, his voice rising angrily.

"Axel, please, let's talk about this." Elena swiftly cut in, eyeing her eldest son warily. In all actuality, she was overjoyed at seeing her two children. She was their mother after all and despite all the tension between her, Reno, and Axel, she still loved both him and Kairi very much. "Come, let's move to another room." Indeed, the attendees had all quieted down and were all watching their heated exchange with interest. Not wanting to attract too much of a crowd, Elena motioned for her son to follow. Reno was silent was he turned around, his back looking ramrod straight and tense. He walked in the direction of the other room, not bothering at all to see if his children were following. Elena however held Kairi's hand in hers as she trailed after her husband. Turning her face to look over her shoulder, the teenage girl threw a dirty look at her ass-hat of an older brother. Biting back a curse, Axel scoffed irritably and began to walk after them, knowing full well that their confrontation would only end in disaster. He didn't sign up for this shit, not at all.

Upon reaching the secluded hallway, Axel stood his ground, making no move to join the rest of his family in the center of the room. He chose to lean against the wall while Kairi stood in-between Reno and Elena. "Well? What do you want?" He questioned, brow quirked and lips turned downwards.

"Certainly we raised you better than that." Reno stated almost somewhat bitterly. Reaching up to fondle his goggles, he fixed his son with a hard look. "Why did you come here today, Axel? Did you come here to say something to us?"

Clicking his tongue in annoyance, the college student scoffed. "Tch, I only came because Kairi wanted to see you and Mom. _I_ have no business being here. Did you honestly think I would come here of my own accord? You've got to be joking." Crossing his arms over his chest, Axel turned his face to the side, not being able to stand the sight of his father right now.

"Your attitude is still as poor as ever, yo." Reno commented dryly, the corner of his lips turning upwards in a smirk. Despite his mocking words, Reno was happy to see his eldest child. Looking at Kairi and Elena one last time, he shoved his hands into his pockets and swiftly made his way over to the other redhead. "You've grown up, haven't you Axel?"

"Yeah? No shit." Was his father really surprised that he was acting this way? Wasn't _he_ the one that said he'd kill him or Kairi if ever ordered to? Wasn't _he_ the one that drove him and Kairi away? Wasn't _he_ the one that tore their family _apart_?

"You're what, a senior now in college? That's great." The younger crimson haired man tensed slightly as he felt something within him tighten, was that pride he heard in his father's voice? How long had he waited for such praise…? Lifting a hand, Reno reached forward and placed a hand on his son's strong shoulder, only noticing how tall his son really was. Although he himself had always been a tall individual, Axel had three or four inches on him now. Squeezing his son's shoulder, Reno smiled for the first time today. "It's good to see you Axel."

'Don't look at him…!' Axel berated himself, digging his nails into the soft part of his flesh. He resisted the urge to vomit – he didn't want his father to see him like this! He knew that if he looked at his father right now, he might as well throw everything he had worked so hard for. He didn't want to look at Reno, if he did, he knew he'd collapse. How could he ever hate his father? Or even his mother, for that matter? Despite all the turmoil that the war had on their family, Axel _loved_ his mother and father. Kairi had been too young to really remember anything about their parents but not he, Axel had so many memories of their parents. The love between a child and parent is something so sacred that nothing can truly pierce it – he wanted his father and mother's praise, he really did. But, he couldn't accept it. All of his efforts to protect his younger sister would have been in vain. Axel never blamed her for their leaving their parents, no, not once and not ever. He would do anything if it meant Kairi's happiness; she was only one in his life that he could ever hope to count on. Kairi was everything to him; his sun, moon, stars, and world – she meant absolutely everything to him.

"I'm so proud of you Axel, you've done so well. Because of you, Kairi has grown up beautifully." Reno complimented softly, brushing his thumb against his son's thin yet powerful shoulder. He wasn't stupid, he knew of the ill feelings Axel harbored against him and Elena. How could he have known that his occupation as a Turk would tear his family apart like it had? "I'm sorry we weren't there for you all these years." Reno said lastly, dropping his hand so that he could take a step forward. Before he could however, Axel lashed out, shoving his father away.

"I don't want your pity!" The individual shouted out, his eyes ablaze. Stumbling slightly, Reno took a step back, his expression confused. Clenching his fingers into fists again, Axel reared one arm back and slammed his fist against the wall behind him. "You have absolutely no right to pity me! I wasn't the one that tore this family apart!"

"Axel!" Kairi admonished, taking a step forward but only to be stopped by Elena. Her mother, who had grabbed her daughter's arm, simply shook her head, knowing that Axel and Reno needed this. Not wanting to disobey her mother or empower the potential fight she knew was brewing; the auburn haired girl was quick to bite her lip. The last thing she wanted was her father and brother to get into some sort of physical war. Nonetheless however, Kairi stilled, dropping an arm so that Elena could pull her back. 'Axel, don't.' she pleaded with him silently, brows furrowing in dismay.

"Tore this family apart, you say?" Reno repeated, clenching his fists as well. "You think _I _tore family apart!? Who was the one that ran away!? Who was the one that took _my_ daughter away from me!? Can you even begin to understand the pain _you_ put your _mother_ through!?" Grabbing a fistful of Axel's shirt, Reno pulled his son towards him so Axel was forced to look into his blue eyes. "Look at her, Axel, look at your mother!" Struggling against his father, the crimson haired man glanced sideways at Elena, his heart tightening painfully at the tearful glance look she gave him. "You broke your mother's heart when you took Kairi and left! You can curse and spite me however much you want but," Reno paused, glaring at his son, "listen here, Axel, a child should _never_ make their mother cry!"

"Shut up!" Axel bit back. "I wasn't the one that told me, a child no less, that he would kill us if it he was ever ordered to! Of course I made the right decision in leaving you two behind! I did it for Kairi's safety!" Thrusting his arm forward, he too grabbed onto his father's shirt. Both men were seething in rage, not relenting in their fury despite the protests from both Elena and Kairi.

"What parent would ever want to harm or kill their child!?" Reno venomously retorted, his voice booming. Gasping quickly, Axel's eyes began to widen. "Didn't you think that your mother and I would have prevented something like that from even happening!? Didn't you even consider the possibility that _if_ we did have to eliminate you or Kairi, we would hide you away first!? No parent should ever harm their child no matter what the stakes are! We loved you, dammit!" Chest rising and falling rapidly, Reno panted slightly in his rage. "Not a day has gone by that your mother and I _haven't_ thought about you or Kairi."

And just like that, all his walls came crashing down. Axel shoved himself away from his father once again, the corner of his eyes burning. What was this sensation he was feeling right now? "Then why?" He found himself asking. "Why didn't you come for us?" Taking a step back, Reno shook his head and looked away. "Why didn't you come, Dad?" That word felt foreign to his lips and he couldn't help but lick his lips a little in response. The Turk opened his mouth to reply when a sharp frequency burst pierced the air.

"_Reno, the President is ready. You two are to assist_."

Both Reno and Elena immediately stiffened, their shoulders tensing slightly. Kairi turned back towards her mother, her head tilted. "You're not really going, are you Mom?" Despite her question, Kairi ultimately knew the answer. She felt her mother pull away slowly and sighed in response, dropping Elena's hand completely. Ignoring Elena's call for her, Kairi swiftly made her way across the room and over to Axel. She stood by her brother's side and leaned against him. As upset as she was that once again her mother and father were putting their work before them, Kairi was strong. She would not let them see her sadness. "You were right, Axel. They still don't have time for us. Come on, let's go."

Wrapping an arm around his younger sister, Axel pulled her tightly against his side. Together, both he and Kairi turned around. With the intent to leave their mother and father behind once again, the siblings faced forward. Step by step, they walked on, never once looking back. "Aren't you going to say goodbye?" Elena asked almost tearfully though her face was hard as stone. Amidst their walking, Axel paused briefly.

"Saying goodbye gives the impression that we'll see you again." Axel then laughed bitterly. "But we all know that's not going to happen." With that said, Axel and Kairi resumed their trek out the door. And all Reno and Elena could do was watch their son and daughter erase themselves from their lives once again. Because after all, what's the point in trying to mend a family that was never a family to begin with?

* * *

"Roxas! Sora!" Xion greeted, extending an arm upwards so she could wave them over. The three teens quickly made their way to the raven haired girl, sporting happy expressions. "Riku said you two would be here." She said with a smile as she folded her hands behind her back and rocked back and forth a bit on her high-heels. Xion shifted to the side and bumped her shoulder against the person's shoulder beside her. "This is my older brother, Zexion."

"Yes, hello." He replied back. Zexion looked older, maybe in his early twenties or so, and had cobalt blue eyes. His hair was a mixture of grey and blue and looked greatly unkempt yet it worked for him. He had a large fringe of hair that covered one side of his face but he looked reserved and very handsome. Zexion was dressed in a neat, white collared shirt. The fabric was devoid of any creases and he had a grey sweater vest over it with a pair of dark pants. Despite being a man of politeness and small words, his shirt was not tucked, making him seem all the more relax and casual. His navy-blue tie had also been loosened, only adding to his casual manner of dress. "Xion tells me that you all attend Radiant Academy?"

"Yeah, we're all in our fourth year." Roxas explained with a nod. Quickly looking over his shoulder, he took notice of two unknown people talking to his blond father. Elbowing Sora, he nudged his head in direction of Cloud and Leon. Their fathers were in the midst of a conversation with two raven haired individuals. One of them was a woman that had very short raven hair while the other was a man that long black hair held up by a single red bandanna. "Sora, who is Dad talking to over there?" The brunet hummed in response, pivoting on his feet so he could see.

"I'm not really sure; I don't think I've ever seen them before."

"That's my Mom and Dad." Xion supplied helpfully with a smile. When two pairs of sky blue eyes turned towards her, she laughed a little. "Our Mom and Dad apparently know both of yours really well. They say they were all friends during the war." The private school teen then paused, crossing her arms over her chest. "Come to think of it, I wonder why we've never seen you guys before. If our parents really were friends, why didn't we know each other sooner?"

"Perhaps it is because our parents are rarely home and travel to Wutai often." Zexion explained as he straightened the cuffs of his sleeves. "In any case, it was a pleasure to make your acquaintance but if you'll excuse me, I have to go." Sora, Riku, and Roxas all took a step back as Zexion walked past them in the direction of a blond bearded man. Xion waved her older brother goodbye and smiled at his retreating back before facing her friends.

"He doesn't say much, does he?" Sora questioned with a cheeky grin.

The teen giggled. "Actually, you got him on a good day. He just went over there to talk to Ansem, Radiant Garden's top researcher. Zexion has been apprenticing under him for many years now, it's a bit of an odd relationship but he admires him greatly." Looking around, Xion spied a table of four that had yet to be occupied and with a wave of her hand; she motioned for the boys to follow. They all sat down together, Sora beside Xion and Roxas beside Riku. "So, have you guys seen Kairi yet?"

"Kairi? Why would she be here?"

"She's the daughter of a famous Turk! Why wouldn't she be here?" Xion asked back.

Roxas blinked. "But I thought she lived in the middle sector?"

"That's a little narrow-minded, don't you think?" She reprimanded before shrugging and looking towards the entrance. "I'm pretty sure Kairi said she was going to be here." Sora frowned at that, glancing sideways at his brother, ultimately waiting for the reaction he knew was coming.

Roxas paused briefly at the thought of Kairi, the last time he had seen her was nearly a week ago – things had been very tense between them ever since that day. Although it happened nearly two weeks ago, the confrontation he had had with him was not something he liked to remember. 'I should probably apologize to her; I haven't exactly been the greatest friend as of late.' Sighing inaudibly, he opened his mouth to ask Xion when Kairi would be here when something suddenly dawned on him.

If Kairi was going to be here, that meant that _he_ would be here as well.

Cursing under his breath, Roxas glared at no one in particular. "Fuck this, I'm leaving." Stepping away from his friends, he turned around and began walking away. Ignoring the shouts and calls emitting from both Xion and Sora's lips, Roxas kept on going. He certainly did _not_ want to see that person; not at all. 'I'll be damned if I ever see that asshole ever again. Soul mate or not, I don't ever want to see him again.' Pushing his way through the crowd, Roxas made his way towards the front entrance with only one thing in mind – to get away as fast as he could. 'I don't want to see him. I don't want to see him. I don't want to see him!' He chanted over and over again in his mind, his footsteps taking him closer and closer towards the door.

"Roxas!" Sora shouted, jogging after his brother with Riku and Xion walking swiftly behind.

"Roxas, stop!" This time it was Riku.

"Roxas, where are you going!? Roxas!"

By now, even Leon and Cloud were beginning to hear the shouts and yells for their son. Halting in their conversations with Riku and Xion's parents, they looked for Roxas, only now noticing his fuming steps as he was raced towards the door. "Roxas!" Leon bellowed, his voice booming and drowning out that of the others. "Come here!"

'Ignore them…!' Roxas told himself, shutting his eyes tightly as he continued onwards to the entrance. 'Don't turn back! They'll only make you stop!' He was beginning to hear chant after chant. 'Roxas!' they would say, over and over again. The further he got away, the louder they would shout. Couldn't they just leave him alone? Didn't they see how he just wanted to get away? To leave this place if only just for a moment? He had to get away, he _needed_ to get away. The patrons in Roxas' path immediately began moving out of the way, not wanting to get near the hysteric blond that was desperate to get out of the room. 'I have to get out of here! I don't want to see him! Not ever again!'

"Roxas…?" This time, it was a feminine voice, one that he knew he had heard before. Opening his eyes, he was met with a pair of oceanic blue eyes that looked a little fearful. At the moment, they were darting back and forth between him and – following her rapid eye movements, Roxas looked up.

It was _him_, the person he so desperately did not want to see.

Axel stood before him, looking down at him with shocked eyes. He looked just as surprised to see him as Roxas was when he had first learned that Kairi would be here. Kairi was standing by her brother's side but she looked wary, not at all certain what would happen between the two soul mates. Roxas studied the older man intensely, his eyes roaming every feature of Axel that he could see. His eyes skimmed over Axel's pointed chin, pale complexion, and sharp emerald green eyes before moving upwards. Crimson hair spiked in all directions only to be held up by a well defined widow's peak. A tall form dressed in dark clothing. The longer and longer Roxas stared, the more furious he became and that's when it happened, Roxas snapped.

Clenching a fist, Roxas reared it back briefly before striking it forward. Channeling every ounce of strength he possessed, he proceeded to punch Axel straight across the face. The crimson haired man grunted in surprise, already feeling a bruise beginning to form as he pivoted on his heel to minimize the damage. Ignoring the stabbing and stinging feeling in his knuckles, Roxas stood his ground, breathing and panting hard. In front of him, Axel let out a deranged chuckle, like that of a killer holding his victim hostage. Extending a hand upwards, he brushed it against the cut on his cheek before smirking down at Roxas.

"Axel! Axel, don't!" Kairi cried out.

"Roxas, no!" Sora cautioned.

It was too late - Axel and Roxas both lunged for one another, their fists flying in response to each other's presence. Right now, all that seemed to matter was each other. All Axel could think about was the blond brat and all Roxas could think about was the hollow man before him.

How they hated one another so.

* * *

Author's Note: Okay well, this chapter is over. I'm not really sure if I liked all of it. I feel like my writing style sucked really bad this chapter but I guess that's what happens after not writing anything for nearly a month. I like the idea of a conflict between Axel and his family though. I really enjoyed writing the confrontation between him and Reno. The next chapter is going to be fun, I'm really looking forward to writing out this fight they're having :) Don't be surprised if some parental units get involved too! Thank you for reading everyone and alas, from this point on for the next month and a half, my hiatus is over! Expect weekly updates once again! Read and review my lovelies! :)

On another note, I'm awful with replying to reviews. I'll get better at it I promise. This chapter was also really badly edited, like I literally skimmed through it. I'm tired and I wanted to get this out for Christmas.

Merry Christmas everyone!


	8. 270 Days Left

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or its characters

Chapter: 8 "**270 Days Left**"

Author's Notes: Hi! Sorry for the hiatus, I've been really busy this winter break and couldn't write at all! : ( I'm also super sick and have been for the past week and it sucked ughh. But! Thank you to all those that read and reviewed! We're passed 100 reviews! Yay! : )

* * *

It was an unexpected blow from the spectators watching the commotion but to Roxas, he knew he had it coming. He had been after all the one to initiate the attack on Axel's face. Being the larger and taller of the two, Axel quickly had the younger boy pinned but to Roxas' own amazement, Axel barely fought back. While he himself was throwing punches and kicks left and right, the redhead was merely restraining him. His long fingers were wrapped around Roxas' wrists while he held his arms above his head so that Roxas wouldn't punch him unexpectedly again. "Why won't you fight back?!" Roxas demanded, his lip curling in disgust as he thrashed against the older man.

Clicking his tongue in annoyance, Axel's brow curled downward in displeasure. "Why would I?! I'm not a child that resorts to violence if he doesn't get his way!" Roxas growled in response, his pupils slitting angrily. Just like that time before, Axel was belittling him because of his age and nothing else. Seeing as how the blond wasn't letting up, Axel growled once more. "Stand down you damn brat! You're making a fool of yourself!" Dodging his face to the left, Axel avoided the potential headbutt Roxas tried to bestow upon him. 'What the hell is this kid's problem?! He's even more childish than I had originally thought!' He thought, avoiding another hit from Roxas.

"Roxas, stop!" Sora shouted, finally making his way over to the feuding boys. It didn't matter to him that Roxas was the only one actually fighting while Axel was merely trying to restrain him, all that ran through his head was one thing; get Roxas away from Axel. Cursing under his breath, Sora rushed forward and shoved Axel out of the way. "Get away from him!" Not expecting the hit from the young brunet, the college student found himself being forcefully shoved out of the way and he couldn't help but growl angrily. Sitting up on the ground with his legs bent in front of him, the crimson haired man touched a fist to his cheek, feeling the blood trickle down his skin from Roxas' first hit.

"Axel, your face!" Kairi exclaimed, crouching down so she could support her brother from behind. Her oceanic eyes scanned the cut on her older brother's cheek and she felt her own anger begin to swell up. Throwing a dirty look over at Roxas, she stood to her feet. "What the hell are you doing, Roxas!?" The blond, who had been raging for the past several minutes, blinked, not at all accustomed to seeing Kairi so worked up. Stunned, Roxas remained silent. "What the hell's your problem?!" She demanded, using her brother's unspoken words. "What, did you think you could honestly punch someone and get away with something like that? I don't care if you hate my brother but listen here Roxas, don't you _ever_ hit him _ever_ again! He has done nothing to you!"

By now, all of the patrons had fallen deathly silent and were watching the exchange between the younger generations with wary eyes. Standing to their feet, Roxas and Axel glared at one another. "He showed up! What the hell is he even doing here anyway!?" Roxas in turn questioned. "What's someone like him doing in a place like this!?"

"'Someone like him'?" Kairi quoted back in disbelief as her brow turned downwards in fury. Behind her, Axel also twitched in annoyance. How dare he say something like that? Roxas really was nothing more than just a child. "I'll have you know that Axel and I were invited to come here! We have every right to be here just as much as you do!" Giving Roxas another dirty look, Kairi crossed her arms. "But I guess you see the world differently than we do – of course you would. You're the son of Cloud Strife and Squall Leonhart; you've probably always gotten what you wanted."

Roxas winced, only now just realizing how pompous he sounded right now. While his life hadn't always been easy, he had forgotten what it had meant to have nothing. The war decimated his biological family to the point where he himself could not even remember the faces of his mother and father or brother if he actually had one. All that he could remember was finding Sora, living on the streets with Sora, and then finally being adopted by their fathers. 'Kairi's right, I'm an idiot.' Looking past her, he locked gazes with Axel and frowned, only now noticing the hard look in Axel's eyes. Was that sadness? Why would Axel be sad? It's not like Axel didn't hate him too, right? Rather than come out with an apology himself, Roxas shook his head. "Of course I don't get everything I want. I certainly didn't get the _soul mate_ I wanted. I'll be damned if I ever -!"

_Smack!_

The high school student suddenly felt a stinging sensation across his face and he quickly turned his face, reaching up to place a hand on his slowly reddening cheek. Holy shit, did Kairi just _slap_ him? The crowd elicited a sharp gasp before quickly quieting down, not at sure how to react. Sora's eyes grew to the size of saucers as he shakily put a hand on the small of his brother's back while Axel cleared his throat uncomfortably and placed a hand on Kairi's shoulder. "Kairi, enough –"

"No!" Kairi shouted back, throwing Axel's hand off surprisingly. "This is absolutely ridiculous! Don't you know how many people are still waiting to meet their soul mate?! After so many years, you've finally found one another!" Her fingers curled into fists by her side as her long hair swayed in her anger. "Don't you two understand how lucky you both are!? There are millions and millions of people who still don't even know who their soul mates are and here you both don't even seem to realize that! You both don't seem to see how lucky you two are." Reaching up, Kairi wiped away the furious tear that formed at the corner of her eye as Axel and Roxas looked away pointedly. At that moment, despite how much they hated one another, they both had the same thing going through their minds – never make a girl cry. As they all fell into an uncomfortable silence, a low voice cut in through the tension.

"What the hell is going on here?" Leon demanded sharply as he and Cloud quickly made their way to the front of the crowd with Riku in tow. It seemed that the young Cetra had left to inform the boy's parents of the going-ons. The physically imposing men stopped in front of their sons, studying both of them intensely. Leon's deep cobalt eyes traced along the bruise on Roxas' cheek before turning sharply to Kairi and Axel who at the moment pushed his younger sister behind him. "What did you do to my son? Answer me!" He furiously bellowed.

Practically the same height as Leon himself, if not maybe a few inches taller, Axel clicked his tongue in annoyance. "_We_ didn't do anything to your son, _he_ attacked me completely unprovoked and I simply retaliated out of defense." The crimson haired man spoke smoothly, effectively lying through his teeth as to not call attention to his sister who had actually hit Roxas. "We did absolutely nothing wrong."

Usually the stoic one, Cloud grunted in disapproval as his eyes fluttered close briefly before opening again. His eyes swept along Axel's pale skin before focusing directly on the small cut on the younger man's cheek. It was fresh and bled slowly, running a trail of red bright enough to match his hair. "And I see that the cut upon your cheek was indeed done by Roxas." His blue eyes closed once again until they suddenly snapped open, revealing a pair of icy blue eyes that sent chills down Axel's spine. For some reason, having Cloud's eyes directly looking into his own sent powerful waves of electricity down his body. It was almost as if he was infused with some sort of strange and potent energy. "However," he began sharply, "That does _not_ mean you should strike a minor back." Flushing slightly, Roxas averted his eyes.

"If he wishes to be treated like a man, I see no point in denying him that favor." The college student replied back stiffly, his lip curling ever so slightly. Reaching up to run the back of his hand against the cut on his cheek, Axel resisted the urge to spit in the younger blond's face. "Get him cleaned up, I don't ever want to see his punk-ass face ever again. I for one will not be held responsible if he attacks me unprovoked again." Roxas couldn't resist the urge to growl and take a step forward in response, only to be stopped by his fathers' warning glares and surprisingly someone else.

"That's quite enough of that, wouldn't you say?" Reno's voice smoothly spoke up through the hostility. They all turned in the direction of his voice and saw the Turk at the entrance of the party room. He reached up to adjust his goggles before swiftly making his way to the feuding families. His blue eyes scanned from left to right, taking in all the familiar and unfamiliar faces he saw. "You should do well to heed my son's words, boy." He added, shooting his eyes over to Roxas who was looking at him confusingly. Sora, Roxas, and Riku all blinked in surprise, who was this man? Almost simultaneously, they all turned to look at Leon and Cloud, both who were looking slightly annoyed. Did they know who this guy was?

"This is your son, Reno?" Cloud questioned back, shifting his eyes to look back and forth between his old friend and the two redheaded youths before him. Studying their features, he took notice of Axel's pointed chin and spiky red hair before looking at Kairi's oceanic eyes. They were practically the same shade as Reno's. Crossing his arms gruffly, Cloud tilted his head slightly. "I didn't know you had any children." At the blond's statement, Axel scoffed loudly and rolled his eyes.

"He doesn't." He answered on behalf of himself and Kairi. Throwing another dirty look at Roxas and the rest of the boy's family, he wrapped an arm around Kairi's shoulder. "It was a mistake to come here. Come on Kairi, we're leaving." For once, she did not initially defy her older brother and wordlessly followed after him. Everyone fell silent as they watched the two redheaded siblings leave, even Reno looked a little disturbed. The very moment Axel and Kairi passed their father's side, he did however open his mouth to speak.

"Not so fast there, Axel."

"Shut up." Axel immediately responded, not at all bothering to stop.

"You're not taking Kairi anywhere." Reno stated, shoving his hands into his pockets. Before his son could retort in reply, the Turk's eyes hardened. "You're not fit to raise her. I see that under your care, she has become violent and quick to turn physical." Unable to suppress the urge to growl in anger, Axel whirled back around and glared full-forced at his father, his brows furrowed furiously. His emerald greens looked poisonous as they shifted into an acidic color but Reno didn't seem fazed.

"What was that?! _I'm _not fit to raise her?! I've been raising her practically all her life! Where the hell have you been?! And don't you _ever _talk shit about Kairi like that!"

Although not even an hour ago she was wrapped in her mother's arms and overjoyed at seeing her parents again, Kairi absolutely could not believe what she was hearing. The auburn haired teen stomped a high-heeled foot to the ground as her dress' hem whirled in her fury. "Axel's right! I'm not going anywhere with you!" By now, everyone could feel the awful tension that surrounded the Gongaga family. The Strife-Leonhart hadn't many words; Cloud and Leon were watching with apprehensive eyes while Sora and Roxas both looked worried.

Reno's eyes tensed briefly before returning back to their oceanic luster. "It's not up for discussion." His fingers flexed and clenched over something in his pocket before the crimson haired man pulled out some sort of communicator device. "General Sephiroth Cetra and 1st Class Soldier Zack Fair, report to the entrance at once." At his father's words, Axel took a step back and held an arm out in front of Kairi again. What was his father planning? Riku, whose father's name had just been called, silently watched, not at all sure why his father needed to come. Not even a second passed before Sephiroth and Zack came marching up to Reno. Although the SOLDIERs served directly under Rufus Shinra, they also had to report to the leader's Turk officers.

"Sir." The two men answered respectfully, snapping their heels together and standing attention. Upon seeing his father, Riku made sure to stand up straight. Roxas and Sora on the other hand glanced at one another quickly, both wondering the same thing – what's going on?

"Remove my son from the premises and escort my daughter to my office, Elena will be there to receive her. The President does not wish to enter the room until the commotion has been removed and I fear that unless we don't step in, it will continue." The two soldiers saluted that they understood and before anyone had a chance to react; Sephiroth vanished for a few seconds, only to reappear by Axel's side. Sephiroth had the college student subdued, holding his arms and hands behind his back. He was after all the most powerful SOLDIER of all time; of course he was agile and masterfully skilled.

"What the fuck?!" Axel shouted, completely taken off guard as Kairi was forcefully removed from his side. "Kairi!" He cried before glaring daggers at Sephiroth. "Get your hands off me!" His eyes searched for Kairi but Sephiroth quickly changed that. The silver haired General grabbed a fistful of his flaming hair and forced Axel's head back, making the redhead look up to the ceiling. "Don't touch her! Don't you fucking touch her! Let go!" The more and more he thrashed, the harder the grip on his head seem to be. It was incredible, both Axel and Sephiroth were nearly the same height, yet the General restrained him so easily. 'No, no, no!' Axel cried mentally. 'They can't take her! She's all I have left!' Despite his struggles, Sephiroth didn't seem to be letting up. He couldn't believe the amount of pain he was feeling in his chest at the moment, it was almost as if someone was physically stabbing him in the heart, it hurt _so _badly. But, perhaps he spoke too soon. For the very next second, his heart completely shattered.

"Axel! Axel, help! Don't let them take me away! Axel!" Kairi cried over and over again with tears running down her face as she thrashed in Zack's arms. While Sephiroth looked undisturbed at separating the two siblings, Zack's face was both passive and doubtful. Being a father himself, he couldn't believe the amount of pain Axel was going through. He however was a SOLDIER, and as such, he needed to do his duty. Zack wrapped his arm tighter around Kairi's small frame, preventing her from moving around too much. Not having any of it, the redhead kicked at him but he merely sidestepped it. "Axel!"

"What are you doing to her?!" Axel demanded, his heart breaking at the sound of his younger sister is such distress. With the way Sephiroth was holding onto him, he couldn't see her at all. 'Fuck!' He violently swore, trying to move his arms but being unable to do so since Sephiroth was a lot stronger than he was. "I said let go, dammit!"

"This isn't working." Reno commented as he rubbed the back of his head. "Zack, take her away. Now."

Zack saluted him once again and without another backwards glance, hoisted Kairi up over his shoulder and began moving away. She shrieked and began repeatedly banging her fists over his back. "Axel! Axel! Axel! Stop, please! Let go, you bastard! He's everything to me! Please, you have to stop!" Kairi cried over and over again, crying even harder than before. Turning her face to her brother, she reached for him but what was the point? No, there was always a point – she wasn't about to give up. Kairi extended an arm out and was in the process of swinging it downwards, aiming for the area between Zack's shoulder blades when a sudden cold voice came from her father's lips.

"Kairi, stop resisting. If you continue to disobey me, I will personally order General Cetra to break your brother's arm."

Boosting herself up so she was supported by Zack's shoulder, Kairi turned awestruck eyes over to her father. He looked tired yet defiant as he stood with his arms crossed. "You wouldn't…!" Reno was silent as he turned to face her but his eyes spoke louder than his words ever could.

_Try me, _they practically said.

And for once in her life, she obeyed her father's wishes. Tearfully, she lowered her hand in defeat and placed it onto Zack's shoulder, squeezing it involuntarily. The SOLDIER holding her felt her shaking in his arms and he suddenly found himself hating what he had to do as a SOLDIER. He was no stranger to killing or hurting people. But this, this was the worst. Kairi let her tears freely fall as she looked at her struggling older brother. Despite their father's harsh words, Axel didn't stop fighting back. His shouts for her fell on everyone else's' deaf ears but not hers, she heard him. Her heart was breaking, was this what it felt like to have your heart broken? To have it so shattered and broken, it couldn't be repaired? She wanted to call for him but she knew that if she did, he would only struggle harder against Sephiroth. Kairi didn't want her big brother to get hurt, not for her. 'I love you, Axel.' The teen thought to him, burying her head in the back of Zack's shoulder as she began to cry and cry. Zack listened to her cries as he continued on his trek up the stairs to Reno and Elena's office, his resolve crumbling slightly.

"Hey," he called amongst her tears, "It'll be okay."

He felt her head shake against his shoulder and with his delicate hearing, he picked up her soft whisper, "No, no it won't."

Back in the party room, everyone watched with weary eyes. "Where the hell have you taken her!?" Axel shouted as he again struggled to look for his sister. His actions only caused Sephiroth to grip his hair harder and harder. "Kairi! Kairi! Kairi!" Reno ignored his son's cries as he gave Sephiroth the final order to remove Axel from the area. Roxas watched as Riku's father swiftly walked a thrashing Axel to the entrance.

He suddenly felt sick to his stomach. 'Did I cause this?' He thought to himself, feeling like he was about to throw up. Did his immaturity cause this all to happen? Was it because of him that Kairi and Axel now were being separated? All this just because he couldn't hold in his anger for another 5 minutes? 'Oh God.' Roxas mentally cried, taking a step back. The blond was suddenly overcome with anguish and turmoil but why? This was all happening to Axel, not to him. Why should he be upset? It's not like Sora was being taken away from him. Subconsciously rubbing his left wrist, he felt the numbers on his skin burn. 'Is it because he's my soul mate? Am I feeling what he's feeling right now?' The logical side of his brain told him that he was being completely stupid and ridiculous but he honestly could not figure out why he was so upset at seeing the two being forced apart. Looking back to the scene, he saw a flash of emerald before his own pair of sapphires widened. Axel, who he had just locked gazes with, was looking at him with such sad eyes that even he couldn't formulate a response. And for some reason, those eyes shook him to the core. Soul mate or not, those eyes held such sadness and agony that Roxas felt himself beginning to crumble. Before he could stop himself, a word left his lips, "I'm sorry." It was almost inaudible; Roxas didn't even know he had said such an incredulous thing.

Axel's eyes widened as he saw the blond's lips move. He wasn't an expert lip reader but he could have sworn he heard Roxas apologize. But honestly? He didn't care anymore. What was the point? They took her away, the only person that gave him a reason to live. As if realizing that nothing held him to this world anymore, Axel stopped resisting and allowed himself to be led outside. And all Roxas could do was watch while inside, his heart was thundering in his chest.

"What have I done…?"

* * *

Author's Notes: Hmmmm. I'm not quite sure how this happened hahaha. It's really unedited, I'm sorry. I'll edit it tomorrow morning I promise : ) Yay for rawness! I'm sorry for the hiatus! Let me know if you liked it : ) Read, review, follow, fave, any of that stuff : ) I'll see you guys soon!


	9. 261 Days Left

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or its characters

Chapter: "**261 Days**"

Author's Notes: Hello again! I'm getting back into the month per chapter thing again because college is really getting in the way of my writing life. Thanks to all those cool peeps that reviewed, faved, followed and all that jazz! I also deactivated my tumblr for personal reasons too. Anyway, I've kept you all waiting long enough and I am super sorry about the tears that may have fallen during the events of the previous chapters. I also don't know if you guys can tell but this is a pretty Axel-centric fic haha. Also, I'm still pretty shitty at replying to reviews. I'm not sure why.

**This is my policy towards reviews since I keep getting PMs about it: I am a horribly busy person. I am a sophomore veterinarian student, a daughter, a friend, and a girlfriend all combined into one. I barely have enough time for myself and most of it is spent with my boyfriend of 4 years and we aren't even in the same state so my time with him is extremely important to me. My mother is tired from intense chemotherapy, school is a bitch right now because FUCK ORGANIC CHEMISTRY (seriously, ughhh don't take orgo) and I'm just tired and stressed. Call me a complainer or review whore, I don't care, I'm just going to be blunt about this. As an author, it's important to give me constructive criticism or comments or anything you want to say because honestly, I need the feedback in order to continue. I always take into consideration everything people tell me about this story and thus, I make changes to please. I won't please everyone and that's fine, it's impossible to please everyone. You all have to remember that I dedicate a lot of time to my stories - A LOT of time. As most if not all of you are writers yourselves, you can understand that feedback is regarded as being necessary in a form of support. Yes, reading is considered support and seriously, thank you guys for reading up to this point but you have to understand that sometimes I need a little reassurance as well. **

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"This shit is getting ridiculous." Demyx muttered under his breath as entered into Axel's apartment. His oceanic blue eyes scanned from left to right, taking in the horrendous mess that was Axel's home. Clothes littered the floor, dirty dishes were piled up in the sink, couch pillows were overturned, and the foul scent of cigarette smoke wafted about in the air. Shutting the door behind him, Demyx pulled his schoolbag closer to him and kicked some discarded shirts to the side. "This place has become such a goddamn dump." Shaking his head, the blond made his way over to the bedroom belonging to the older Gongaga sibling and did not hesitate to bang his fist against the wooden surface. "Axel! Open the door!"

"…"

"Open the fucking door, Axel!" Demyx called one once more, a noticeable furrow developing between his brows. His lip curled as he snarled angrily, punching the door with his fist. "I swear to Etro, Axel, open the goddamn door before I fucking _break _it down myself!"

"Alright! Fuck, man, relax!" The redhead finally said from the other side of the door. Huffing irritably, Demyx grunted and stepped back, giving the other man space. The door was thrown open and there stood Axel with one arm leaning against the doorframe, a lit cigarette hanging limp from in between his lips. He was dressed in nothing but a pair of baggy sleeping pants that hung low on his hips. "_What_?"

Demyx's nose flared a bit from the awful stench of sex, perspiration, and cigarette smoke emanating from Axel's room and took a step back, holding an arm out to protect himself from such noxious odors. "You've been holed up in your apartment for like nine days." Almost the same height as him, shorter by a fair few inches or so, Demyx looked at Axel sternly. "It's not healthy, man."

Taking a deep drag of his cigarette, Axel reveled in its addictive taste before blowing it out away from his best friend. "What's your point?" He asked after raising a thin crimson brow. Feeling hardened eyes on him, Axel snorted and watched as Demyx practically scanned him from head to toe.

"You look like you haven't had a decent meal in days, you've got bags under your eyes which means you haven't had a good night's sleep in a while, and you haven't been to school in a whole week! Your apartment looks like a hurricane passed by, your room fucking _stinks_, and you look like shit, man! What the hell is going on?" Rolling his emerald orbs at the blond, Axel pushed past him and made his way to the kitchen, ignoring the pile of unwashed dishes in the sink.

"It's none of your business." A shadow crossed his eye as Axel turned to look over his shoulder at the blond following behind. "How the hell did you get in my apartment anyway?"

Ignoring Axel's question, Demyx glared at him. "How the hell can you say it isn't any of my business? We've been friends for years, Axel, _years_! We're best friends, you dumbass! We're supposed to be able to tell each other everything!" Once his feet took him to stand in front of the crimson haired man, the musician shoved him a little. "What happened to you, Axel?"

Looking away, Axel grunted softly. "It really doesn't concern you this time, Demyx." Turning his back to the blond, Axel lifted his head a little, focusing his gaze on the door that led to Kairi's bedroom. "It's got nothing to do with you." He repeated, this time a little softer. Regarding his best friend with curious and worried eyes, Demyx followed the direction that Axel was looking at and frowned. Taking a step forward, he placed a hand on Axel's shoulder.

"Is it Kairi?" Demyx questioned, almost afraid to ask. The moment the name 'Kairi' left his lips, he felt Axel tense sharply and his heart sank in reply. He knew how important Axel's little sister was to him. Hell, she was almost like a little sister to him too; he had watched her grow just as Axel did. But what was wrong with Kairi? "What happened to Kairi?"

"She's gone, Dem."

And just like that, Demyx's heart tightened in his chest. His blue eyes widened in shock, "Is she…dead?" His voice was small as he spoke, almost as if he couldn't believe he was saying such an incredulous thing. He was hoping that that wasn't the case but he needed to hear it from Axel's lips first. He felt Axel shake again and he opened his mouth to console the redhead before a deranged sound emitted from Axel's throat.

"Goddess, no, but I might as well be though." Sighing mentally, Axel turned to face his best friend and nodded his head over to the couch as he ruffled the back of his spikes. "I'll tell you what's been going on with me." Nodding, the blond quickly made his way over to the couch but whereas Axel collapsed onto it tiredly, Demyx simply stood by the armrest, not at all sure how clean it was due to the apartment's atrocious state. Inhaling some more smoke, Axel blew it out cleanly, his chest rising and falling slowly as he did so. "You remember my old man, that big-time Turk that answers specifically to Rufus Shinra?"

"Reno Gongaga? Yeah, what about him?"

"You know how Kairi and I pretty must lost touch with him and my mom a long time ago?"

"Yeah?" Demyx questioned back, drawing out the last letter to emphasize his curiosity. From his position by the arm of the couch, he crossed his arms thoughtfully. "Did you have a run-in with them or something?" Axel nodded in reply, causing the blond to whistle in surprise. "Wow that must have been something." Reaching over to place a hand on Axel's shoulder, he gave the strong shoulder a gentle squeeze. "What happened?"

"Kairi and I were invited to attend this huge party hosted by the President. Naturally I declined but I could tell that she really wanted to go," He then sighed, his thoughts drifting back to his younger sister, "And so, we went." Lifting a hand, he covered his left eye with the palm of his left hand, feeling his blinking lashes fluttering against his skin. "How could I have known that that would be the last time I would see her?" The crimson haired man asked to no one in particular. Demyx remained silent as he listened to his best friend's story, his brows turned downwards in thought. His eyes traced along Axel's arm until –

"Wait a second! What the hell is this?!" The musician shouted, thrusting his arm out forward and closing his fingers over Axel's wrist. Turning it over so that the timer he knew was there was visible, Demyx hurriedly looked towards the numbers. "0 days, 0 hours, 0 minutes, and 0 seconds…" Clenching his fingers tightly around Axel's thin wrist, Demyx fixed his so-called best friend with a harsh glare. "You didn't fucking tell me you met your soul mate! What fucking gives?!" Throwing the arm down forcefully, Demyx jumped to his feet. "We're supposed to be best friends, Axel! Tell me why this is the first time I'm hearing all this?!"

Not having the energy to argue back, Axel narrowed his eyes forward and cradled his left arm against his torso. "'Cause I'm a shitty best friend." Ruffling the back of his spikes, Axel looked towards Demyx apologetically. "To be honest Dem, my soul mate has been the farthest thing from my mind and since Kairi's been gone, I've been so frazzled that I can't even think straight." As Demyx shifted back towards the arm of the couch, the redhead let out a soft pitied chuckle for himself. "I'll tell you everything." And so, Axel began his story and like the good friend that he was, Demyx listened earnestly.

* * *

It was late into the evening, around 8 o'clock or so, and Roxas was still doing homework. He sat alone at his desk with a variety of books spilled all around him on the desk's wooden surface. To his right was his laptop that although on, was blackened due to its screensaver mode but he paid it little to no attention. He held a pen in his hand and was currently tapping it against the corner of his college-rule notebook. 'Okay, so an aldoheptose is a heptose carbohydrate with an aldehyde functional group at the first carbon and an aldopentose is a pentose carbohydrate with an aldehyde functional group at the first carbon.' Roxas recited mentally, his eyes zeroing in on the notes in front of him. 'An aldohexose is a hexose carbohydrate with an aldehyde functional group at the first carbon. Okay, I just need to remember that they all are attached by the first carbon.' Resting his elbow on the table and cupping his chin, the blond hummed thoughtfully. He had a feeling that a pop quiz would occur sometime this week and so he was mentally preparing for it now, knowing that he needed to study to get the material down.

He wasn't a bad student, in all actuality, Roxas was an amazing student. With a friend like Olette, it was impossible to do poorly in a class; she would always remind him about doing his homework to which he was thankful for. While he excelled at his other studies, he was not as lucky when it came to his sciences. Specifically, chemistry was not his strongpoint; he'd study and study but all he would get in return was a C or B- if he was lucky. Sighing under his breath, the high school student flipped a page in his notebook, "Now onto aliphatic amino acids." Twirling his pen in his hand, he continued on with his studying. 'Aliphatic amino acids are amino acids that contain an aliphatic side chain functional group. They are both non-polar and hydrophobic.' Covering the examples with his hand, Roxas looked up at the ceiling, wanting to see if he could recite them from memory. 'Examples include alanine, isoleucine, leucine, and…' He paused, raking his brain for the answers he remembered reading about. 'Shit, what where they? Methionine? Wait no; didn't Mr. Glacies say that it was sometimes considered aliphatic? Dammit! Why can't I remember?' Cursing under his breath once again, Roxas gave up and peeled his hand away. "Fucking A, its proline and valine. Goddammit." Tossing his pen somewhere behind him, Roxas leaned back in his computer chair and covered his eyes with his forearm. Roxas couldn't begin to understand why chemistry was so hard for him to understand. He would study his ass off for a test, literally night and day, and just get the bare minimum for a grade.

'Maybe I should just get a tutor.' After sighing in frustration, Roxas abandoned his studying and hopped off his computer chair. Reaching for his cellular device, he held it tightly in his hand and sauntered over to his neatly made bed, collapsing onto it almost immediately. Folding his arm behind his head as a makeshift pillow, Roxas looked up at his white ceiling with weary eyes. "I really don't want to fail this test and I really don't want to get a C again." He could either A) Suck it up and just study some more tomorrow, B) Ask Mr. Glacies for a tutor, or C) Give up. Obviously C was out of the question. A on the other hand wasn't too bad but in all honesty, doing just that still gave him average grades. And so, Roxas was left with B, ask Mr. Glacies for a chemistry tutor. 'It's not all bad.' He thought, weighing the pros and cons mentally. 'Luckily for me, Radiant Academy employs college students to tutor us part-time.' The good thing about that was that college students obviously knew more than he did and being students themselves, they knew how to teach in a way that he could understand. 'But then again, I really hate staying after school unless I really have to.' Ultimately going with plan B, Roxas took a moment to relax. He stretched out his stiff limbs, curling his back upwards before settling back down on his bed.

Pulling his phone out, he brought in front of him and searched through his contacts, something he usually did out of boredom when he was awaiting a text or call. Okay, he wasn't really waiting on anything; he was just really bored and didn't want to be thinking about chemistry. Roxas started at the beginning of the alphabet, swiping his thumb downwards as he read over each of the names in his contact list. He passed by 'K' and paused, lingering on the first name in the list. "Kairi." He said aloud, his voice soft. In all honesty, not a day went by that he didn't think of her. How could he _not _think about her? Because of him and his temper, he caused her and Axel to be separated. Kairi was always on his mind: Was she okay? Was she happy? What happened to her after the party? Roxas then clenched a fist, "And Axel, how is he doing?" He voiced out loud. Normally, Axel was the furthest thing in his mind but perhaps that wasn't the case right now. He'd be lying though if he said he didn't think of Axel every once in a while. 'I can't even begin to imagine what he's going through right now. He must hate me even more now too.' Truth be told, Roxas didn't like him very much either. He wasn't a heartless person though, he felt awful for separating the two redheaded siblings. "I don't know what I'd do if Sora was taken from me like that."

Exhaling sharply, almost in a spur of the moment, Roxas quickly pressed the green button labeled 'call' and sucked in a breath. He listened as the dial tone sounded, his throat suddenly turning dry. It rang twice before a voice he knew well spoke at the other end. "_Roxas?_" The blond bolted straight up into a sitting position, berating himself for calling her. What was he thinking? He was probably the last person she wanted to talk to!

"Kairi, hey." Mentally punching himself in the face, color flooded his cheeks. He probably sounded so stupid right now! "Um, how are you? How has everything been?" The line was silent for a couple minutes and he could have sworn that she was about to yell at him but instead, she spoke in a relatively calm voice.

"_It's been okay, I've been really busy lately. Mom and Dad keep me on a strict schedule_."

Ouch. That must mean her and Axel still weren't together. "I see." Roxas replied back, rubbing the back of his head uncomfortably. "What kind of stuff are they making you do?" She proceeded to explain that her parents had set up multiple tutoring sessions and cram school in order for her to advance her studies. Kairi spoke briefly about other things they forced her to do such as music lessons and running cross country. "That sounds brutal. How do you find time to hang out with Xion and Naminé?"

"_I don't_." Kairi answered simply. _"I don't even go to Our Lady of Radiant Garden anymore. Mom and Dad enrolled me over at the Gaia Academy for Girls a week ago after that whole party fiasco. I barely even have enough time for me_." Someone shouted something in the background and Roxas heard her pulling the phone away. There was an awkward pause before Kairi came back on the line. "_Listen, I'm late for cram school. Sorry Roxas, this isn't a good time_."

"Kairi? I'm sorry about what happened at that party. I didn't think that you and Axel would be -" His voice suddenly quieted shamefully. He didn't know what to say or how he should say it. He just wanted to make sure she knew that he was indeed sorry for the events that occurred that day. Would she believe him though? "Really, I'm so sorry." He heard her breath hitch slightly and he thought she might have started crying. Well shit. Biting his lower lip, he felt a rush of pain in his chest. Was he feeling Axel's pain right now? Or was it his own at causing Axel and Kairi pain?

"_Goodbye Roxas_." Kairi said swiftly.

"See you soon, Kairi." Roxas in turn replied, altering the words a bit. Her words made it seem like she definitely _wouldn't_ be seeing him again and like hell he would let that happen. He heard the soft click signaling the end of the call and placed his phone over on his night table. Sinking back in bed, the blond sighed. "All this just because you couldn't hold in your anger for a few more seconds." His eyes fluttered close before a knock forced him to reopen his eyes. "Come in!"

The door was pulled open and there outside his door stood his two fathers, Leon and Cloud. The parental units were sporting stoic expressions but that was normal, that's just the way they were. "Roxas, we need to talk about what happened at the President's gathering." Leon stated simply, allowing his husband to walk in first and then following in afterwards. Cloud moved over to sit at the edge of Roxas' bed by the boy's legs while Leon stood before him with his arms crossed. "We didn't say anything until now because were hoping that you would come to us but I see that you don't plan to." Roxas held his breath, not at all wanting a lecture right now, especially from his two dads. "You're going to tell us all about this 'Axel' guy, starting right now." There was no way he could escape them now.

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Author's Notes: Its 1:33 AM! I'm not even sure if I am even coherent right now! Anyway, I grinded this all out in one night so I apologize if there are errors. As always, I am way too lazy to go through and edit everything. Let me know if you liked it though! Next chapter will be fun to write. I wonder what Leon and Cloud have to say about a certain Axel Gongaga? And how will Demyx react to his best friend's soul mate being a high school student? Let's find out! Read, review, fave, follow, and all that jazz! Since I've gotten a lot of hate (to which is fine, I'm overly go-lucky so I don't get upset easily haha), understand that **reviews are appreciated but I'm not going to hold a story ransom just because not everyone is reviewing. Do as you please, just try to understand that it's frustrating not to get at least a sentence of reassurance that this story is pleasing you. **Okey dokes! Until next time, I've got orgo homework to do :(


	10. 261 and a Half Days Left

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or its characters

Chapter: 10 "**261 Days and a Half Left**"

Author's Notes: Okay hey guys! Thank you to all those that read, reviewed, faved, or followed! I read your guys' words and I was really happy! Thank you so much for understanding my perspective, it makes me happy that I am able to keep you guys entertained through this story! I'm sorry for the lack of writing lately. I just recently finished spring break and I relaxed the entire time (it was amazing). SC has passed its one year anniversary so I may start working on that for a bit but CD does hold a special place in my heart.

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Feeling nervous under his fathers' intense gazes, Roxas shifted awkwardly as he respectfully rose to a sitting position with his back ramrod straight. He wasn't even looking them in the eyes yet he could still feel the intensity and power behind both of his father's cobalt eyes. They looked absolutely and positively unnerving and Roxas wasn't surprised, Leon and Cloud looked extremely livid that day he fought with Axel nearly a week ago. He could still remember the powerful glare in their eyes when they witnessed his confrontation with the older man. Rubbing the back of his head just as Sora would do, Roxas glanced nervously at Leon. "There's not much to say." A muscle twitched on the brunet's face and Roxas could practically feel the irritation and annoyance radiating off his father, it was honestly a little intimidating.

"'There's not much to say?'" Leon repeated after his son, shifting his weight over to his other foot as he stared down at his youngest child. "Interesting." Leon said simply. "Very interesting indeed." Although his words and tone suggested that he was calm, Roxas knew better to believe Leon's façade. His father had been a SeeD mercenary, he knew how to lie and he knew how to effectively do so. Military warriors were trained to be passive, so not leak valuable inside information should they be taken hostage by the other side. Roxas' hand subconsciously brushed against his left wrist and Cloud watched as his son's fingers flexed around his checkered wristband. Cloud, who had been silent this entire time, sent a warning look over at his husband, his blond brows turned downwards in displeasure. Like Leon, he was also concerned about this unknown relationship between Roxas and Reno's son, but there was no point in punishing the boy for something he didn't understand. That would only be counterproductive and cause unneeded stress between them.

"What your father is trying to say," Cloud cut in, turning his eyes towards Roxas who slowly met his gaze, "Is that we need to know who this guy is. Roxas, do you understand how alarming it is to see our son, someone who we've raised since he was a young boy, fighting someone that he has nothing to say about? How worrying it is for us as your parents to see you with blood on your fists? Who is this man and what is he to you? A friend? An enemy?" Cloud then crossed his arms, his brilliant blue eyes flashing a bit. "Or is he something more?"

Almost as soon as his father stopped started speaking, Roxas mentally conjured up a picture of the man Cloud and Leon were talking about. Axel Gongaga - he was a tall individual, one that easily towered over him, and had a slender body. He had a well-defined widow's peak, eyes that exhibited an emerald color, and a head of flaming spikes. They were wild and out of control but they worked on him due to his smooth complexion and pointed chin. His eyebrows were crimson, much like his hair, but they were small compared to the average person's. The blond tilted his face slightly as he thought back to the mysterious purple reverse-teardrop on Axel's face, wondering why Axel possessed such bizarre tattoos. Did they symbolize something? Not wanting to spend too much time thinking about the older man, the blond rubbed the back of his head again. "I don't know what he is to _me_ but he's well," Falling silent, Roxas extended his wrist for his fathers to see, "Just look."

Cloud took his son's outstretched arm and gently began to peel back the black and white checkered wristband. The very moment that it was removed, Cloud and Leon's looked immediately awestruck. 00:00:00 it read, but that could only mean…? Although he knew what the numbers meant, Cloud needed more evidence. Furrowing his brows, he closed his fingers over Roxas' wrist. "Ex-1st Class SOLDIER, Cloud Strife, identification: A-16." He swiftly commanded, tapping into the Shinra technology in his son's timer.

"Recognized: Cloud Strife, A-16." A female computer generated voice replied back, pausing slightly in between his first and last name. Roxas' eyes grew in surprise, what was going on here? Was his dad able to control the timer or something? Leon remained silent as he waited, waiting for Cloud to voice the concerns he knew they both had.

"Show me the soul mate of Roxas Strife-Leonhart."

"The soul mate belonging to Roxas Strife-Leonhart is Axel Gongaga." The AI obediently responded back.

"Show me him; show me the boy's soul mate." Just like that time in the Upper Sector, the AI in Roxas' timer produced a holographic image of Axel. And just like that, Roxas' timer confirmed what they had witnessed at President Shinra's gathering. "I demand intel on the man known as Axel Gongaga." With his brows turned downward in displeasure, Cloud watched as the timer's mechanics lit up the room even more. A full-body image of Axel stood proud and tall as a list of the man's information began scrolling down for them all to see. "Axel Gongaga, son of Reno and Elena Gongaga, and older brother to Kairi Gongaga. 23 years of age, date of birth: August 8, blood type: AB+, location: Middle Sector, attending: Radiant Garden University, major of choice: Fire Science, religion: the Goddess Etro, status: alive."

Not wanting to hear anymore, Roxas quickly pulled away from his blond father and yanked his wristband back into place, cradling his left wrist tightly against his chest. When two pairs of blue eyes turned towards him, Roxas flinched slightly. "I don't want to hear anymore." Leon remained silent as he watched his husband leave Roxas' side to join him by the boy's bed. As if knowing that his fathers were displeased, the blond nervously glanced away. "I won't accept it." Roxas said sternly. "Axel is _not _my soul mate."

"And what makes you say that?" Leon asked.

"Because!" Roxas shouted, startling his fathers as he whirled around to look at them fiercely. His fists clenched as his bangs bobbed up down due to his quick movements. "We have nothing in common! Absolutely nothing at all! Zero! Nothing!" Cloud blinked and leaned his head downwards a little, looking at Roxas incredulously. Did Roxas really just that? He could not believe his son was being so childish and ignorant. "I don't want to have anything to do with him! I'll be damned if I ever love someone like him! I am and will never be into guys!"

"Roxas, watch your language!" Leon harshly shouted, immediately silencing the boy. The high school student looked shocked, his father had never yelled at him like that before. As if realizing his mistake, Leon sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. 'I won't get anywhere if I berate him for something he doesn't understand.' Seeing Roxas' alarmed eyes, Leon placed a hand on his blond head and ruffled the soft locks gently. How many times had he told himself that he would do everything in his power to never to see those eyes again? It reminded him so much of the time when he and Cloud had found the boys when they were still very young. They had such distrusting and horrified blue eyes back then, no doubt brought on by being left behind after the war. It was absolutely heartbreaking; no child should ever have those eyes. "Roxas, we're just concerned. Try to understand," he began, opting for another approached, "Your father and I, we've never seen you openly strike someone before. I thought we taught better than to do that."

"I'm sorry." Roxas said quickly, his cheeks reddening a little. He never liked disappointing his fathers. Pulling his legs up to his chest and wrapping his arms around them, he rested his chin on his knees. He felt very, very small, and he didn't like it one bit. "I just don't know what to do. It's all too weird. Dad, I don't like guys like that." Afraid that he may end up alone forever, the blond involuntarily began raking his fingers against his skin, a nervous habit of his that he developed when he was a child. "But I can't do anything about it; my future's already been set in stone. Axel's my soul mate and I can't do shit about it." Ignoring his son's colorful choice of words, Leon shared a look with Cloud before bringing his hand down and placing it on Roxas' shoulder.

"While it may be true that this man is your soul mate, you can always change the future. You are the sole decision-maker in this situation, Roxas. You are the one who ultimately has a say in what you choose to do. You can either accept the fate you've been given and seek partnership with Axel or you can defy it completely and make your own future."

"How?" Roxas asked, his voice still small.

Leon pulled away to nod his head over at Cloud, signaling for the blond to act. Sighing deeply to himself, Cloud nodded back and held out his hand. The man's deep mako blue eyes flashed a little but Roxas was too distracted to notice. Leon however did and his heart suddenly began to ache for his husband. Crossing his arms over his chest, Leon let out a mental sigh; there was nothing he could do about it now. Roxas hesitantly reached out his left wrist, answering his father's unasked question. Gently, Cloud peeled back the wristband but this time, he caressed the skin with his thumb. "Machina," Cloud began, addressing the AI by its name this time, "Show me the soul mate of Squall Leonhart." At his father's question, Roxas' eyes widened.

"The soul mate belonging to Squall Leonhart is Rinoa Heartilly." The lion's blue eyes fluttered closed as he took a step back from his family, needing a few moments for himself. Rinoa had been a member of the Forest Owls, a group of freedom fighters fighting for liberation from Zanarkand during the times of war. Although Radiant Garden was indeed its own nation, Zanarkand wanted to tyrannize its citizens, threatening to go to war if they did not adhere to their wishes. Naturally, that became the cause of the war. Radiant Garden fought for their independence and the right to live freely, thereby being the sole reason for the Forest Owls to form. From what Leon could remember, she had always been compassionate and friendly but there were times when she was extremely stubborn and naïve. Looking towards Leon, Roxas frowned. He had never seen his father so distraught!

'Wait, Dad's soul mate isn't Dad?' Roxas found himself questioning mentally. Judging from his father's down-casted eyes and tense shoulders, he deduced that this Rinoa meant an awful lot to him. 'If she's his soul mate, why isn't Dad with her now? Aren't soul mates supposed to be your perfect match in life?' This whole time, he thought that his fathers were each other's soul mates; they always seemed so perfect for one another! Although they argued and bickered, Roxas knew how much they loved one another. He had seen the tools Leon would leave laying around the house as if they had been dropped from Valhalla themselves, no doubt to keep Cloud entertained since everyone knew Cloud loved to work on his motocycle, Fenrir. And likewise, Cloud was always there for , these two weren't soul mates after all? "Why aren't you with her, Dad?" Roxas asked, looking towards Leon who was now facing them stoically.

Cloud inwardly flinched at his son's question, instantly reminded of the countless times he spent asking himself the very same thing back when he and Leon were still in the military. While timers like the ones today didn't exist back then, Cloud didn't need one to know how special Rinoa was to Leon. He wasn't blind, hell, anyone and everyone could see how deeply in love they were with one another. The only times Cloud remembered seeing Leon smile back then was when he was reading her letters. The ex-SOLDIER felt his heart begin to quicken and he mentally sighed, he hadn't felt heartache like this in such a long time. He really admired the older man back then; there was just something about Leon that sparked his interest. Maybe it was lion's drive to protect the ones he loved or his will to survive, Cloud just didn't know – Leon was just, well, he was just like something out of a dream. Untouchable, something he could only admire from afar. While the blond wasn't completely smitten with Leon the first time they had met, the two were still good friends. They confided in one another during times of war, trading words like good friends usually did. 'I remember him telling me all about her, how she was so beautiful that she could have been an angel and how she danced like the wind. I remember him telling me that he loved her and she loved him and they were to be married when he returned home to Radiant Garden.' Cloud then sucked in a breath. 'And I remember when he told me that she was all he ever needed and the reason for his existence.' Thinking back, Cloud had to admit that Leon and Rinoa indeed were soul mates. Their bond was something out of this world; sometimes even he felt that his relationship with Leon wasn't that transcendent. The bond between two soul mates is so _complex_, that it's unexplainable…

"…You mean you defied fate?" Roxas asked, snapping Cloud out of his earlier thoughts and causing him to stand up straighter. He refocused on the task at hand and looked towards Leon, waiting for the words he had heard so many times before. "How?"

"I loved her, I really did," Leon admitted before his cobalt eyes hardened, "but the Zanarkand War changed me." He reached up to finger his Griever necklace, the sole reminder of his virtues. Physically, it represented the lion, an animal he greatly admired from a young age, as well as his strong belief in strength and courage. While not many knew this, Cloud being one of the few people that did, Leon's Griever necklace symbolized Rinoa and the love her had for her before the war. He used to have a ring with the crest of Griever on it but before the war, he gave to Rinoa, a promise ring if you will, vowing that he'd marry her once her returned home. She wore it proudly of course and never took it off but they had made that promise several years ago. He wouldn't be surprised if he found the Griever ring in a lake by now or something. "After what I went through, she couldn't give me what I needed. She couldn't give me the support I craved and although we tried, we could never relate anymore. We looked upon the world with different eyes so things never seemed to fit into place anymore. I needed someone who had the same eyes as me and someone who saw the same things I did." Looking over at Cloud, Leon watched him with fond eyes, how could he have known that the very same man he befriended all those years ago would become his new soul mate? Slipping his hand into Cloud's, Leon squeezed comfortingly. "I defied my fate and chose a new life and I've never looked back once. You have to remember that you're the one who decides how you live your life."

Understanding his father's words, Roxas slowly began to smile, his face lighting up considerably. "Dad, so you're saying that I don't have to listen to my timer? And I can be with whoever I want to be with?" Cloud brushed his thumb against Roxas' cheek and rubbed at it affectionately.

"Of course you can Roxas; you should be with whoever you want to be with. Your happiness is what matters. Don't let some AI or even Shinra for that matter tell you any different." Moving his hand to poke at Roxas' forehead, Cloud applied some pressure and pushed his son's head back a little. "You're the son of a SOLDIER and SeeD Mercenary and you've got a brother that loves you beyond relief, we will support your decision no matter what." Pulling away, Cloud crossed his arms and smiled charmingly at his son. "You'll be fine." Roxas flashed his parents a broad smile and jumped off the bed, throwing his arms around his fathers' waists. He mumbled a word of thanks, nuzzled his face against their chests before dashing away towards Sora's room, wanting to talk to his brother as soon as possible.

"Thanks Dad!" Roxas' voice rang out from the hallway. "I have to talk to Sora, he has to know he can defy his fate too!"

Cloud leaned forward to neaten up Roxas' bed when Leon held out his arm. A pair of blue eyes looked upwards to meet another set of eyes and Cloud found himself losing himself in the depths of Leon's eyes. Lifting a hand to caress Leon's cheek, he was stopped by Leon's own hand and they laced their fingers together. "I may have loved Rinoa but my life belongs to you now. I live for you _and _the boys."

"I know." Cloud replied back simply.

Leon leaned downwards and brushed his nose against Cloud's and the blond could have sworn the lion was about to kiss him when Leon stilled and stared straight into his eyes. "I'm surprised you didn't tell him about Aerith." The ex-SOLDIER's eyes hardened immensely at that but Leon stared back passively. Although they were indeed married and hopelessly in love, they also were soldiers, some things never changed. A side of them was still cold and unfeeling.

"Like you, that was a long time ago. The boys don't need to know about that." His eyes fluttered close briefly before the wolf sharply opened his eyes, sending a bolt of lightning down Leon's eyes. Only certain members of 1st Class SOLIDERS were infused with the power of Mako and Cloud was one of the few chosen to carry it. SOLDIERs that exhibited eyes like the sky were said to be infused with Mako energy, giving them unimaginable strength and cognitive abilities. Although these SOLDIERs were said to be the strongest of Shinra's army, Leon had never felt intimidated by them. He was strong too after all, a legend among SeeD mercenaries. "Not a single word, Squall." He warned once again. The brunet simply smirked, the corner of his lips curving upwards challengingly.

"Perhaps, but then again, we shall soon see." Leon only said, shrugging away from his husband and making his way out of the room. Cloud watched him go and turned around, finally able to make Roxas' bed. The blond was silent as he did so and his mind was clear until a thought suddenly occurred to him.

"If Roxas' soul mate is Reno's son," he then paused, "then who is Sora's? What did Roxas mean when he said that he needed to tell Sora that he could defy his fate too?"

* * *

"Wow." Demyx commented, raising his brows interestedly. "So you're telling me that your soul mate is still in high school? And you're saying that soul mate is the child of two infamous veterans?" The blond asked as he crossed his arms and leaned back against the couch. Axel glanced sideways at him incredulously, wondering why the hell he was so calm and composed right now when he himself was bothered beyond relief.

"I don't understand how those are the only things you cared to pick up on." Axel replied back, shaking his head with his lip curled upwards a bit. "Did you somehow miss me telling you that my soul mate is a guy?!" He shouted irritably as he reached up to gesture with his hand. "How is that you pick all that other useless information up but you ignore the sole problem – my soul mate is a _guy_!" Choosing not to speak, Demyx only spared him with a shrug. "You're unbelievable." Growling under his breath, the crimson haired man brushed his newly healed cut with his forefinger and looked away.

The musician simply rolled his eyes. "It's not that big of a deal, Axel. You're freaking out over nothing." Demyx shrugged his shoulders again. "What's the problem with your soul mate being a guy? At least you'll be able to relate to them easier." Whirling around, Axel glared at him fiercely, insulted that Demyx had even said such a crazy thing.

"Are you kidding me, Dem? He and I are worlds apart! We're not even in the same generation! He's nothing but a little shit who couldn't even begin to understand the shit I've been through! I bet he doesn't even know what it feels like to have nothing! He's the son of motherfucking 1st Class SOLDIER and SeeD mercenary! He and the other brown haired brat must have had the most luxurious life possible! They probably got anything and everything they ever wanted! They don't know pain, they don't know suffering! Hell, at least that little shit has _parents _that give two shits about him! I can't even get half that much from mine!" Shaking his head again, Axel clenched his fists, his chest rising and falling rapidly in his frustration.

"The Zanarkand War affected all of us, Axel. I wouldn't be surprised if they had an effect on those boys as well." The blond tilted his head to the side, his oceanic blue eyes studying the older man intensely. When Axel didn't reply, Demyx only rubbed the back of his head. "Listen, I've known you for years and I think this is the first time that I've ever seen you so lively." Emerald orbs immediately blinked confusingly at that so Demyx continued, "I understand that you're really against having relations with someone of the same sex but seriously Axel, this 'Roxas' kid is actually making you feel something." Before Axel could interrupt him with a snide comment, Demyx waved him silent. "This is the first time I've ever seen you so riled up over another person – that's saying something Axel, this kid may be more important to you than you realize."

Axel snorted. "I don't know what you're talking about."

A small smile made itself known on Demyx's face at his best friend's response and he couldn't help but chuckle softly under his breath. Changing the subject a little, he cleared his throat. "Well, if it helps, I hear the Strife-Leonhart kids are pretty special and are well-behaved. My Dad says their father is always boasting about them." Like Axel, Demyx was also considered to be a member of the upper-class in Radiant Garden society. Axel and Kairi were obviously related to Reno and Elena while Demyx was the son of Zell Dincht, a cadet of the SeeD mercenaries. Although Zell may not have been as highly regarded as Squall Leonhart, he was still a respectable war veteran. Ignoring Axel's rolled eyes; the blond ran a hand through his blond locks. "If so, they must be good kids."

"'Well-behaved' my ass." The redhead muttered, thinking back to the party when Roxas struck him in the face unexpectedly. Now that isn't something 'well-behaved' children are supposed to do, right? "Anyway, I'm fine now though Dem, don't worry about it. I'm perfectly content with not having a soul mate. I'll just find a nice girl to settle down with."

"Yeah?" Demyx asked back, his eyes suddenly hardening. Axel had always known his best friend to be a very relax and easy-going kind of guy but when Demyx snaps, he was a force to be reckoned with. That's the thing with Demyx; he always got serious when he needed to. "How can you do that when you're too busy sticking your dick in every girl you see? That's pitiful Axel, you're so much better than that. You deserve so much more than just a simple fuck." Seeing Axel tense in reply, Demyx only continued. "How do you think that girl you'll settle down with will feel when she finds out that you practically whored yourself out for a few weeks?" Moving over towards Axel, Demyx placed a hand on his friend's shoulder, taking note of how cold his skin was. "At least get to know the kid, I'm sure he's not as rotten as you think. Besides Axel, you say you're stuck with a kid for a soul mate but you're acting pretty childish yourself."

Covering his face in his hands, Axel shut his eyes tiredly. "I know, Demyx, I know. I just can't forgive him for what happened. Because of him, Kairi isn't here anymore. Do you know that I can't even call her anymore? Every time I try, the line goes dead and I can't even fucking connect. How could I ever forgive someone for taking away the one thing I needed in my life?"

"She's still here, Axel. It's true that she doesn't physically live with you anymore and that you two are unable to talk but she's still here and she's still reachable. Maybe not now, but soon, you'll get to see her again. Hell, she's so damn feisty that she might even break out herself once she gets the chance. If anything, this might be kind of good for you." Sensing that Axel was about to glare at him again, Demyx held up his hands. "She's like a sister to me too but you've always been taking care of her. I think it's time you took care of yourself for once. You deserve to be happy too, Axel. You shouldn't be denied that opportunity just because she isn't physically here."

"What about you?" The crimson haired man suddenly found himself asking. "What ever happened to meeting your soul mate?" Racking his brain and remembering the numbers he had seen on Demyx's timer, Axel concluded that he probably met his soul mate nearly two weeks ago. "What'd you think?"

Demyx only shrugged but his smile was serene. "It was nothing really. I spied a ring so I assume my soul mate's already married." Not knowing if he should comfort his best friend or not, Axel rubbed the back of his spikes. The blond only laughed at his friend's unasked question. "It's fine Axel; it was more of a 'It's good to see you, have a nice day' sort of thing. We both kind of acknowledged that we weren't right for each other even though our timer dictates so. They looked happy too so I wasn't one to say anything against it." A beep suddenly went off from Demyx's pocket and he was quick to pull out his phone, swiping his thumb from left to right to unlock the phone. His eyes scanned the message quickly before the blond nodded his head. "Hey, I'm actually catching a movie with Zexion and Lexaeus soon. Do you want to come with? We'll probably get food afterwards too."

"Yeah sure, it'll probably be good for me to get out of the house."

"I think so too but shit dude, go take a shower. You fucking stink."

Rolling his eyes at Demyx, Axel flipped him off before smirking in reply. He stood up and made his way over to the bathroom, content on scrubbing away all the impurities he had inflicted on himself during the aftermath of Kairi's absence. The blond watched his best friend's retreating back, noticing that the tension within Axel's muscles finally dissipated. Reaching upwards to stretch out his stiff arms, he could have sworn Axel muttered, "Thanks," before shutting the bathroom door and well, Demyx smiled honestly for the first time today.

* * *

"Are you going to be okay?" Sora asked, peering out from the window of the passenger's seat in Riku's car. Today was the day that Roxas would begin his tutoring sessions at Radiant Garden University and at the moment, the three teens were pulled into the college's parking lot. Riku seemed uninterested as he sat in the driver's seat but anyone who knew Riku could tell that he was listening intently on the conversation between the two Strife-Leonhart brothers. Roxas was already outside the car but he had yet to leave the car's side and like Riku, Sora was sitting in the passenger's seat. The brunet watched as Roxas took a good look at his surroundings before he tapped on Roxas' side. "We'll come pick you up after practice."

Turning to look over his shoulder, Roxas nodded. "Sounds good, I'll text you when I'm out." After saying their goodbyes, the three teens went their ways, albeit Roxas from Sora and Riku anyway. The blond walked down the main path to the college, noticing how there were many college students walking around, probably in their attempts to get to class on time. It was still early in the afternoon, around 2:10 or so, and from what Roxas remembered, his tutor would have a break soon and that was why they were able to schedule a tutoring session. Making his way over to the science building, he found the spare study room they agreed to meet at and proceeded to pull out his books. Laying them neatly, Roxas organized them as he waited. In all honesty, he didn't know who he was being tutored by, only that his fathers scheduled him with someone from the university.

Pulling out some homework to worn on whilst he waited, the student began humming a distant lullaby his Aunt Aerith had once sang for him when he and Sora were kids. Twirling his pencil, Roxas began looking through the stoichiometry homework he was assigned. It certainly looked annoying, what with all the mole-to-mole conversions and needing to balance the equations. "Why the hell do I even need chemistry?" Roxas asked himself. "It's not like I want to do this sort of thing when I grow up." Glancing at his phone, the time read 2:16 PM and that meant that his tutor was scheduled to come within the next 10 minutes. Sighing under his breath, he leaned back in his chair, already stuck on the problem he was attempting to do. His delicate hearing picked up a set of heavy footsteps and he quickly stood to his feet, his head inclined downwards respectfully. He heard the sound of clothes rustling and he opened his mouth to speak, "My name's Roxas. Thank you for taking time out of your day to tutor me." All he got in response was a hum and so Roxas looked up, finally looking at his tutor for the first time ever. What had he gotten himself into?

* * *

Author's Notes: And there we go everyone, the chapter is done! Yay! We've hit 10 chapters now. That's a pretty good number but alas, we've got several more left to do. I wonder who Roxas' tutor is :) This is pretty unedited, I'm good at that hahaha anyhoo, see you guys next time! Also, hopefully this chapter was better than the last. I know the last one was a bit of a filler so hopefully this one was a better read. Read, review, fave, follow, and all that jazz if you'd like! I'll see you guys soon! Goodbye my beautiful bbys!


	11. 259 Days Left

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or its characters

Chapter: 11 "**259 Days Left**"

Author's Notes: Hi everyone! Thank you to all those that reviewed! I think it was a total of 8 people or so? Thank you for taking time out of your day to leave a review! It really does motivate me to write more. Double whammy my bbys, two chapters in one week. Fucking fantastic.

* * *

'You have got to be kidding me.' Roxas thought, his brow furrowing a little in awe. 'This guy has pink hair! I didn't even think that was possible! What the hell is this?' As the student began fumbling for rational explanations as to why his tutor had pink hair, said tutor made his way over to Roxas and simply looked down at him. 'There's no way he's from here…someone from outside Radiant Garden maybe?' Immersing himself with possible theories, Roxas didn't notice the raising of his tutor's brow until a soft cough caught his attention.

"Allow me to introduce myself." He said with a strong voice, catching Roxas slightly off guard. Almost as if he was surprised by the power and tone of this man's voice, Roxas nodded slowly. "My name is Marluxia Farron and I will be your tutor for the rest of the semester. I am a senior here at Radiant Garden University and the major I am specifically pursuing is Plant Sciences. As such, I have a wide understanding of phytochemistry as well as organic and general chemistry. Your fathers have arranged for us to meet at least three times a week at this scheduled time."

The blond nodded once again in understanding. "Okay, that sounds good." Marluxia simply hummed in reply, removing his school bag and placing it on the table beside Roxas. From what he could see, Marluxia seemed like a confident individual, one that was patient and hard-working. Roxas could practically feel the graceful aura that the college senior exhibited off of him. Feeling more at ease, Roxas began to introduce himself. "I'm Roxas and I go to Radiant Academy. I'm not really sure yet what I want to do in life but I do want to graduate high school first." He then grinned a little and rubbed the back of his head. "To get there though, I have to pass chemistry and I'll admit that I'm struggling really badly with understanding it all. I just can't seem to get it down."

'How very interesting and admirable.' Marluxia thought. When the boy's fathers propositioned him to tutor their son a couple of days ago, he agreed half-heartedly – anyone would jump at the chance for some easy money. It's not like this was the first time someone had hired him as a personal tutor too but this, this was interesting. 'Most of the time, my students are too embarrassed to admit that they need help. Roxas however does so with a certainty; he knows he needs help.' Marluxia allowed himself to smile curtly at Roxas' response and he gestured to the table. "Let's get started, shall we?" As the two shifted into a sitting position in their respected chairs, the pink haired man crossed his arms, "What is it that you're struggling with?"

"I don't really understand thermodynamics but I'm not being tested on that just yet so we still have a lot of time to work on it. For now, is it okay if we work on some general chemical properties?" Marluxia nodded swiftly.

"Of course." Gesturing to a section in Roxas' textbook, Marluxia pointed out to the pages tilted 'Ions and Salts'. "We'll begin with the subject of ions. An ion is basically a charged atom or molecule that has lost or gained one or more electrons. When an atom loses an electron and has more protons than electrons, they are referred to as 'cations' or just positively-charged ions. Likewise, when an atom gains an electron and has more electrons than protons, they are called 'anions' or negatively-charged ions." Taking Roxas' pencil, Marluxia began to demonstrate the transfer of electrons. "An easy way to differentiate between the two is that the 'T' in 'cation' symbolizes a positive sign and the 'N' in 'anion' represents the word 'negative'."

Roxas tapped his pointer finger on his desk before humming thoughtfully. "So a cation is positive and an anion is negative." He said, repeating after Marluxia. Taking back his writing utensil, he began jotting down notes in the margins of his college-rule paper. "There are additional names for ions with multiple charges right?" Roxas questioned, looking towards Marluxia for confirmation.

The older man nodded. "Yes, you are correct. An example would be a dianion which constitutes an ion with a -2 charge."

"So that means a dication would be an ion with a +2 charge?"

"Are you asking me or are you telling me?" Marluxia asked back, his voice laced with amusement. He watched as Roxas' own brow furrowed in thought and he could practically see the gears in his head working.

A few seconds passed before Roxas grinned and nodded. "I'm telling you." He confirmed with confidence. Although he had been initially taken by surprise the first time he saw him, Roxas found himself appreciating Marluxia's teaching methods. Over at the Academy, the teachers seemed a little robotic and unfeeling while Marluxia radiated coolness. Being a student himself, Marluxia probably could explain things to him a lot easier simply because they could relate to one another better being currents students and all. He obviously knew which methods worked and what didn't – there was a sense of realism there. As the minutes progressed, the pink haired man gave Roxas a series of practice questions in which he would have to identify the amount of electrons lost or gained and then state whether or not they were cations or anions. A companionable silence fell between them as Roxas got to work. Whilst the boy completed his practice questions, Marluxia pulled out a lab report to look over when the blond broke the silence. "Thanks again for tutoring me, Marluxia. I really appreciate it."

Marluxia simply hummed. "It is my pleasure." At the older man's response, Roxas grinned a little and turned back to his assigned practice problems. They lapsed into a working silence once more and before the two knew it, two hours had passed. Gathering his own personal notes and setting them aside, Marluxia turned towards Roxas who leaned back in his chair. "That is enough tutoring for now. I will look over your work and then you may go." Nodding his head, Roxas allowed his tutor to review his work.

'I'm pretty sure I got at least two wrong but that's better than what it could have been had I not gotten a tutor." Taking out his phone, the blond sent a quick text to his brother, signaling to him that he was ready to be picked up. Only a fare few minutes passed before Marluxia nodded as well and gave Roxas back his paper. Scanning downwards with his blue eyes, Roxas saw that Marluxia had marked four problems wrong. "Ah damn." Roxas said to himself, his brow turning downwards in displeasure.

The college student chuckled "I didn't expect you to get them all correct right away. Considering that we just went over the bare basics, you still got a majority of the problems right and for that, I applaud your effort." With a smile on his face, Roxas beamed and thanked him. "Don't mention it," Marluxia said kindly, "I'm glad I was able to help." Putting away all of his things, the pink haired man slung his messenger back over his shoulder and stood to his feet. "Roxas, continue going over the material we covered today and I will assess you again on Wednesday when we meet next."

Standing up as well after gathering all of his things, Roxas nodded respectfully. "Thank you again for taking time out of your day to tutor me, Marluxia." Rubbing the back of his head, the blond smiled goofily. "You really did help me a lot." Chuckling softly, Marluxia accepted the boy's thanks and gestured to the door. Together, they made their way out of the study room with Marluxia lifting a hand to say his goodbyes. "Have a good day at class!" Roxas called in after him, waving back. After Marluxia left for his next class, Roxas walked towards the parking lot, spinning his phone in between his hands. 'Well, I think today's tutor session went pretty well. It certainly was productive.' Upon reaching the place that Riku and Sora had dropped him off earlier, Roxas rocked back and forth on his heels and pulled out his phone to read Sora's reply. Truthfully speaking, Sora had texted back nearly three seconds after Roxas had sent his initial text. Out of respect for Marluxia, Roxas waited till now to check the response. '"Riku and I will be there in 8 minutes."' He mentally read out loud. Mentally calculating the time it took for Marluxia to look over his work and the time he sent Sora the text, he concluded that it wasn't much longer before he would see Riku's Behemoth sports car pulling up to the parking spot.

Three minutes later, Roxas heard a chorus of "Hey Roxas!" and looked up to see said Behemoth driving up to the parking spot. Sora waved a hand out of the window as Riku parked his car. "How was tutoring? Was your tutor nice?" Sora questioned, turning to look behind him as Roxas settled into the back seat of the car.

"Yeah, he was pretty cool. He's a senior here named Marluxia." Stretching out his stiff limbs, the blond groaned tiredly before reaching over to fumble with Riku's touchscreen radio just like he had done so many times before. "How was practice for you guys?"

Riku hummed a little as he began driving out of the university. Easing his foot off the gas pedal a little, he applied slight pressure to it and drove towards the back exit. "It was alright, I suppose. Sora seems to be getting slower though." Almost instantly, the brunet came back with a response.

"_What_! You were the one lagging behind in the endurance run today!" Watching the two argue, Roxas allowed himself to smile a little. After the fiasco that happened at the plaza in which both he and Sora learned about the identities of their soul mates, both Riku and Sora grew distant. The two best friends hadn't spoken to one another in weeks and it wasn't until their meeting at President Shinra's party that they reconciled with one another. Not many words were exchanged between the two at the moment of their rekindling but perhaps they didn't need any; anyone with eyes could see they missed one another and that alone was enough for them. Despite knowing the fact that Sora and Riku were indeed one another's soul mates, they went back to their usual routine before either knew such incredulous things.

'It's almost as if they too are resisting fate.' Roxas thought, thinking back to the conversation he had with Sora two days prior. After repeating the very words his fathers had said to him, the blond told his older brother that he too could defy his fate. And like him, Sora grinned whole-heartedly – all he needed was Riku to be his friend. Anything more than that would only yield unwanted stress between the two. Looking out the window, Roxas turned his attention to the sky. The sun was setting, showcasing an interesting array of orange, reds, and yellow that Roxas couldn't help but appreciate. Watching the sunset was always a favorite pastime of his and even now, he still loved to watch it.

Red.

To anyone with able eyes, red was the color of blood and strawberries. It was the color of rubies and roses. Roxas then frowned. But how could you explain the color red to a blind person? What would you say? You could say that the color red is like a burning flame, hot and sharp to the touch. You could say that the color red is passionate and beautiful, much like a rose. You could even say that red was like anger, fiery and intense. 'You could even say that red is love.' The blond found himself saying. Raking his eyes over the sunset once more, his blue eyes zeroed in on the reds in particular. It honestly reminded him of someone he probably shouldn't be thinking about. 'Axel's hair is red.' Roxas thought, picturing the older man's wild spikes. Glancing down at his covered timer, he suddenly realized something as his brows furrowed.

'Red is the color of fate.'

* * *

A total of nine days had passed since his first tutoring session with Marluxia and Roxas honestly felt like he was actually learning chemistry. As per the agreement agreed by Marluxia and Leon, Marluxia was to tutor Roxas three days out of the school week. Although Roxas still did struggle with a few things, after studying with Marluxia, he would always come out with a better understanding of the material than when he was first taught it during class. In the many meetings he had with the older man, the blond found that he rather appreciated Marluxia's company and a friendship was forged between them.

They traded witty banter and generally got to know one another. Roxas told Marluxia about his friends and his older brother Sora while Marluxia in turn told Roxas about his two sisters, Lightning and Serah. Beings friends made studying easier as that initial awkwardness was nowhere to be found but as always, studying with friends can lead to distractions. Despite all that however, the college student was very diligent as a tutor, never allowing for too much goofing off. Marluxia would always steer Roxas back into studying and likewise, Roxas would comment back that Marluxia should probably continue working on his lab reports too. Currently, Roxas was getting situated into the usual study room that he usually used with Marluxia. Today's session was extremely important for it was the tutoring session before his midterm exam. This next exam would determine Roxas' midterm grade for the semester and he really wanted to do well – he was hoping for at least B+.

Roxas hummed to himself as he pulled out his textbook and notes from class earlier that day. Taking his phone out, he set it down beside his pens and pencils. 'Alright, I really have to do well on this next test. If I come home with anything less than a C as a midterm grade, my ass will be grounded.' Hanging his backpack on the back of the chair, his ears perked up as he heard a set of approaching footsteps. 'That must be Marluxia.' He concluded, still not looking up as he hurried to organize his study space.

"Hey, Marluxia couldn't make it today so he sent me instead." A voice called out apologetically as the footsteps got increasingly louder. Roxas looked up as the person of the unknown voice found made their way into the study room and he blinked, studying the person before him. All he saw was a head of flaming red hair when –

"Axel?"

Axel stilled and blinked as well, just now paying attention to who he would have to be tutoring due to Marluxia's absence. He had been so distracted and preoccupied with getting to the assigned location on time that he had failed to notice who he had to tutor until right now at this very moment. His eyes found their way forward and he locked gazes with Roxas' sky blue eyes, his throat drying slightly. 'Oh fuck, I shouldn't have agreed to this.' Not even fifteen minutes ago, he and Marluxia were in the same class when Marluxia kindly asked him if he could fill in for him since he had an unexpected family emergency back home. Marluxia always supplied him with class notes when his own notes were lacking and so in return, Axel readily agreed. How could he have known it was Roxas who Marluxia was tutoring? His fight-or-flight instinct told him to run; he didn't want to be anywhere near this kid. After all, it was because of Roxas that Kairi had been taken away from him. As Axel contemplated his next move, unbeknownst to him, Roxas was also mentally struggling with what to do.

'He looks mad, is he going hit me? He should, I deserve it.' Taking a step back so he practically knocked into the wooden chair behind him, Roxas bit his lower lip. 'What do I say? Do I apologize? I probably should.' Inhaling slowly and exhaling just as slowly, Roxas took a tentative step forward. "Axel, I-" His voice was small as he spoke but as he attempted to continue, the crimson haired man silenced him with a shake of his head.

Reaching upwards, Axel ruffled the back of his spikes and looked away briefly before looking back at the younger boy. "Listen, Marluxia told me that you have a pretty important midterm tomorrow… Let's just get started, huh?" Taking off his bag and hanging in on the chair adjacent to Roxas', the redhead cleared his throat and sat down. "So, what's going to be on your test tomorrow? Did your teacher tell you the format?" In all honesty, Axel really did want to run. He didn't want to be here. He didn't want to be practically six inches away from Roxas. This was the kid that punched him randomly out of the blue and got his sister taken away from. Any sane person would just up and leave – who would want to be in the same room with someone they hated? Certainly not Axel, but despite all that though, Axel wouldn't leave. 'As much as I can't stand this kid, I'm not going to let something as petty as that jeopardize this kid's chances of doing well on his midterm.' Axel was an adult, a mature one at that, he wasn't one to deny someone's chance to succeed.

Almost as if he hadn't expected for Axel to talk to him, let alone ask such a thing, Roxas fumbled with his notes as he began shuffling though them, attempting to find the answer to Axel's question. "Um, yeah, I'm pretty sure I wrote them down somewhere." Upon finding the paper detailing the format of the test, Roxas looked towards Axel. 'If he's going to be civil and mature about this, I might as well be too. If anything, I owe him a lot for just staying here to willingly tutor me.' Although he considered Axel to be somewhat of a wild and uncontrollable person (based on their earlier interactions), Roxas couldn't exactly blame him for his actions. 'It sucks to admit that I was the source of all the confrontations.' In the weeks that he hadn't seen Axel or Kairi, he was honestly tormented by what had happened at the party. A part of him still hadn't forgiven himself for being the cause of the siblings' separation. 'I don't even know what I would do if Sora had been taken away from me like that…'

"What's the verdict?" Axel asked, growing tired of waiting for Roxas' response.

Resisting the urge to blush hotly out of embarrassment, Roxas grunted lightly. "Sorry, I was thinking. Anyway, it's a 50 question test with 25 being multiple choice and the remaining 25 being a combination of true/false and short answers." Humming in reply, Axel nodded and gestured to Roxas' notes.

"Is there anything you want to go over right now? Anything you didn't understand in class today?"

"No, I'm fine for today. The lecture we had today won't be on the test so I don't think I'll worry about that just yet." Reaching underneath his stack of notes, Roxas pulled out his notebook. "I do have a review packet though." Suddenly feeling nervous, he involuntarily began rubbing the back of his head. He had completed the packet prior to this scheduled tutoring session but he had done so with the mindset that Marluxia would be the one looking it over. Having worked with Marluxia for the past week and a half, he wasn't overly embarrassed when he would get something wrong because Marluxia wasn't the type to tease him about it. Axel on the other hand was a different story, other than being his 'soul mate'; he had no ties to Axel. He was just another stranger. 'Is he going to laugh if I get something wrong? I need to get a good grade though.' Roxas considered himself to be a proud individual, he was downright cocky and arrogant at times too, but this was different. For some reason, he didn't want to be seen as unintelligent or incapable in Axel's eyes.

Studying the boy before him, Axel allowed himself to watch Roxas if only for a few seconds. 'He looks uneasy, almost as if something is bothering him.' Looking back and forth from the packet in Roxas' hand to the nervous way in which he was rubbing the back of his blond head, Axel could only conclude that he was feeling embarrassed. It was almost cute, _almost_ barbarically so. "I'll look over it; just give me a few minutes." Holding his hand out with the palm side up, Axel waited, his brow raised slightly.

Almost mechanically, Roxas complied, picking up his packet and placing it Axel's waiting hand. Before either of them had any chance of touching one another, Roxas pulled his hand away quickly and returned his attention to the notes before him, not wanting to interact with Axel any more than he had to. It was either Axel didn't notice or he _did _and simply didn't say anything about it. Perhaps Axel also did not want any unnecessary confrontations or conflicts to occur between them. 'I feel like I should say something.' The blond thought, frowning slightly as he absentmindedly began looking through his notes. 'I still haven't apologized to him for what happened at President Shinra's party...'

Not even a minute passed before Axel cleared his throat, "It seems like you have a bit of a problem with differentiating the Groups of the Periodic Table." He said, bringing the packet down to lie flat on Roxas' wooden desk. Reaching over, Axel pointed with a thin finger. "Can you tell me the names of the different Groups?

Leaning closer to get a better look, Roxas frowned again. "There are metals, nonmetals and metalloids."

"Those are subgroups." Axel said lightly, correcting the younger boy. "What I'm asking for is the Group by way you identify the elements on a table." Penciling in the numbers one through eighteen across the top and then one through seven down the Periodic Table, Axel pointed at the number one. "This is Group 1 also known as the Alkali Metals. They have a valence of one and have an ion charge of +1." Watching as Roxas made a note for himself on his notebook, Axel waited patiently before continuing. "They are extremely reactive and are only found in compounds and can be extracted from compounds by using electricity. These metals react violently with water and cause hydrogen gas and a base to form." Seeing the blank look yet thoughtful look on Roxas' face, Axel hummed lowly. "An easy way to remember the Alkali metals is just remembering the fact that they are the first group and follow hydrogen directly down the Periodic Table."

"Right."

"Moving on, Group 2 consists of Alkaline Metals. They have a valence of two electrons and have an ion charge of +2. They are also very reactive and are only found in compounds. Unlike Alkali Metals, they can be extracted from compounds using chemical reactions. They also can form hydrogen gas and a base when reacting with water." Moving his finger to the right, Axel pointed at the number two. "Just like with Group 1, Group 2 elements go directly down Beryllium." Sneaking a glance at Roxas, Axel studied the boy's face. He was quiet as he listened but that furrowed brow on his face suggested that he was thinking but hopefully he also understood the concepts. "Groups 3 through 12 are called Transition Metals and the number of valence electrons varies between them all. Their charges range from +1 to +7 and it's a mix of reactive and nonreactive capabilities. Some can be found in their pure forms such as copper, silver, and gold." Gesturing to the middle section of the Periodic Table, Axel circled the Group numbers involved with the transition metals.

Looking over at his textbook briefly, Roxas extended a hand out and pointed to Group 17. "And these are Halogens, right? They've got a valence of seven electrons and have a charge of -1." Studying the blond once again, Axel nodded. Humming to himself, Roxas stilled, racking his brain for the properties he remembered reading about during class. "They can be extracted from compounds by using electricity and they aren't corrosive."

"Close, but no." Axel again corrected. "They are actually extremely reactive and are corrosive." Cursing under his breath, Roxas sighed. Leaning back in his chair, he crossed his arms.

"Damn, I don't feel prepared at all for this test now." Tapping his foot against the floor, Roxas frowned once again before pushing himself upwards into a proper sitting position. Turning towards Axel, he spoke in a soft tone, "Do you think I'll do okay on this test?" Their eyes locked and it was like something out of a dream – a jolt of some kind surged through them, almost as if some unknown energy source had been awakened and was now resonating within them. Had those blue eyes always seemed so endless? And had those emerald orbs always been so lonely? Was this what it felt like to be in the presence of one's soul mate?

Clearing his throat slightly, Axel inclined his head. "Honestly, I think you'll be fine." He said somewhat quickly, wanting to push away that feeling he just had. It felt foreign and strange but also somewhat… pleasing? 'What am I even thinking about at a time like this? Endless blue eyes? Goddess, what the hell are you doing to me?' Averting his eyes, Axel let out a mental sigh. 'I need to get away from this kid.'

Roxas slid his review packet closer to him and began gesturing towards the noble gases. "I think I'm okay with the noble gases. How about I study the properties real quick and then recite them back to you?"

Axel simply shrugged and without another word, the high school student got to work. Wanting to look elsewhere and also just because he wanted to distract him a little from helping Roxas study, the crimson haired man turned towards the window at the right side of the room. 'Damn, I have to work in three hours.' A part of him wanted to skip work but then again, he wouldn't actually ever do that. 'Hopefully it's not a chaotic mess tonight.' A tap on the desk made him look back at Roxas who nodded that he was ready. Roxas recited back the information flawlessly, even Axel was impressed. They continued on studying and just like that, an hour had passed. Roxas was finishing up the last of the stoichiometry problems Axel had written up for him when he stilled and set the pencil he was using down on the table.

"…Have you talked Kairi lately?" Roxas questioned softly, knowing he was treading on dangerous. 'I hope he doesn't flip shit.' In actuality, he was quite thankful to Axel for taking time out of his day to tutor him. Especially with the history between them, it was rather nice of him to do so. 'Of course, it's not like he or I knew it would be the other but, he didn't leave and well, I'll admit, that was really nice of him.' Almost instantly, Axel visibly tensed and it certainly did not go unnoticed by the younger boy. His voice grew small as he watched Axel glare at nothing in particular, his once emerald eyes now shifting into a more deadly and acidic green color. An uncomfortable silence fell between them before Axel finally answered.

"No, no I haven't."

"Why not?"

The crimson haired man inclined his head slightly, his fingers curling into fists by his sides. Truth be told, he honestly felt like punching Roxas straight across the face right now. How dare he ask such a thing? 'Is this kid being for real? When it was him…he was the one!' Axel exhaled slowly, willing himself to relax, at least enough to answer the boy. "They've blocked my number. I can't call her and I certainly can't find her."

Moving his arm to the left, Roxas' fingers flexed over the plastic object on the table. "Would you like to?" He asked, picking up his cellular device and flipping it around so it laid available for Axel to use should he choose to do so. The crimson haired man quickly turned towards Roxas, his eyes returning to their former green luster as his mouth a dropped a little in surprise.

"What do you mean?"

"You said they've blocked your number, right? Just use my phone. I actually was able to talk to her a couple of weeks ago." Feeling nervous under Axel's intense gaze but not wanting to waver, Roxas confidently looked up to meet those mysterious emerald green irises. "This is my thanks to you for tutoring me today. I know we don't have the best history between us but it really means a lot to me that you would stay just to help me. It's not much but it's all I can really think of doing for you right now." Thrusting his arm out slowly, Roxas nodded encouragingly. "Here, call her." And for the first time today, Roxas finally saw positive emotion in those eyes. Axel looked absolutely star-struck and even he found himself liking this side of Axel more. It certainly seemed like a more enjoyable side to Axel; Roxas definitely preferred this side of Axel over the guarded and stoic one from before.

Axel tentatively reached out, struggling with the right words to say. He was absolutely dumbfounded as his eyes zeroed in on the phone in Roxas' hand. He couldn't believe it, he finally would have the chance to talk to Kairi, and maybe he could even find out where she was and bring her home! Stumbling over his words, the redhead took the touchscreen phone from Roxas' hand, their fingers brushing against one another's ever so slightly. The moment they touched, it was like instant warmth and relief began surging through their veins. Just like before, some sort of energy encompassed them both, rocketing up their spines and flashing like lights in their brains. This, this is what it meant to have a soul mate – to have someone so close to you that you could practically feel their emotions. The energy from before when their eyes had really and _truly _locked seemed so miniscule now. Whatever it was that tied Axel and Roxas together, whether it be by the red string of fate, or something even more unexplainable, this, _this _is what felt to be in the presence of your soul mate. The crimson haired man looked up and once again, their eyes locked. His mouth opened a little to mumble a word of thanks but Roxas silenced him with a small smile; he didn't need the words. Feeling like he should leave Axel to his privacy, Roxas made a move to get up when the older man shook his head, telling him to stay put.

Swiftly dialing Kairi's number, having dialed it many times before, Axel hurriedly pressed the phone to his ear, listening to the dial tone. He counted three rings before a voice he hadn't heard in so long chorused in his ear. "_Hey Roxas, what's up_?" Her voice seemed a little tired, immediately causing concern to wash over him.

"Kairi? Kairi, it's me." Goddess, he hadn't heard her voice in so long. Right now, Kairi's voice was like music to his ears. Feeling his heart warm considerably, Axel smiled for the first today.

"_Axel? Axel, is that you?_" Kairi asked back, her voice lightening ever so slightly. She heard a chuckle from his end and she paused slightly. A few seconds passed before Axel heard the distinct sound of a door closing and she was back on the line. "_Axel! I can't believe it! I've missed you so much! I tried calling but I could never get the chance to! These Turks watch me like a goddamn chocobo!" _

Laughing freely at his sister's lovely choice of words, Axel closed his eyes briefly in his happiness. "It's all good, it's all good. I couldn't connect with you either. I'm sure it's all those Turk bastards' doing." Getting comfortable in his chair, he glanced sideways at Roxas who was looking over his work yet again. His brows were turned downwards in thought, wanting to make sure they were absolutely right before having Axel look it over. "Where are you? Want me come get you?"

"_I'm in the Turk section of the Upper Sector but I hate it here. I want to come home so badly_." Kairi admitted truthfully. "_I miss you, Demyx, Xion, Naminé, and everyone else! I just want to come home_." Sympathizing with his little sister, Axel sighed softly, his heart aching for her.

"I know; you definitely belong here with me." The redhead agreed, reaching over to take Roxas' paper, ignoring the protests from the younger boy. 'It's not finished yet!' Roxas whispered hotly to Axel. In reply however, Axel simply ignored him and moved the phone so he had it cradled against his shoulder and collarbone. His eyes scanned Roxas' paper, twirling his red pen in his hand. "I'd come get you if I could."

Kairi sighed. "_I wish you could but it'd probably be bad. Dad would have a bitch fit and I don't want you getting hurt. For now, I'll stay here with them._" Her tone then turned completely determined. "_And when they least expect it, I'll leave on my own. They won't know what's going on_." She swore, causing him to smile curtly. The auburn haired girl then paused as she suddenly remembered something, having been so distracted with just being able to talk to Axel – she forgot the most important thing. "_Why are you calling me with Roxas' phone? Does that mean you and him...?_"

"Don't be ridiculous." Axel answered immediately, shaking his head. Spying a slight mistake in Roxas' mole-to-mole conversion, he circle it with his trusty red pen and slid the paper over for the blond to see. Watching as Roxas looked at it confusingly, he underlined the section that was incorrect. Not even a second passed before Roxas grinned sheepishly and hurried to fix the mistake. "How long do we have until -" He heard a shout from Kairi's end followed by a sharp curse and he frowned sadly. '…we have to get off.' He finished mentally.

"_I have to go now, they're calling me for dinner._ _I'm really sorry, Axel. We'll get to talk again though, right? Sometime soon?_" Another shout was heard and Kairi pulled the phone away. 'Alright already, _shit! _I'm coming!' She immediately responded back and honestly, Axel would have laughed if it had been he who she was talking to, but alas, it wasn't. She was leaving and that was the harsh reality of it all. "_Promise we'll talk again soon_?"

Resting his elbow on the wooden table, Axel covered his face with his right hand. "Of course, I'll always be here. I'll call you as soon as I can." Running a hand through his spikes, Axel exhaled slowly. "Kairi, I love you. Stay strong for me, we'll get through this."

"_I love you too, Axel. I'll see you very soon_." After thanking him for calling her, Kairi regrettably ended the call. Axel lingered slightly, his chest rising and falling slowly, and listened to the blankness that was the phone line. Not even a second ago, he was talking to Kairi – if only he could turn back the hands of time now and relive that moment. He'd do anything just for that much. Grabbing the phone, he handed it back to Roxas.

"We've been at this for a while; we should probably end here." Axel stated as he stood to his feet. "You'll be fine for your midterm, just remember to take your time. Little mistakes can make the difference between a passing grade and a failing one." Roxas nodded, understanding completely. Although it was true that they had been studying together for quite a while, Roxas knew that Axel probably wanted to have some time to himself. He understood of course, had the tables been turned, he probably would have wanted the same.

Gathering his things together, Roxas hummed in agreement. "Thanks again for helping me study." Upon finishing doing just that, Roxas hooked his arms through his backpack's straps. Looking up, he raised a brow. Their tutoring session was over, why was Axel still here? Before he could even ask, Axel cut him off with a reply.

"I'll drive you home." Not exactly giving Roxas the chance to answer, Axel left his side and pulled out his car keys as he walked. Twirling them with his pointer finger, he listened for Roxas' footsteps and when he heard them, he smirked. Roxas quickened his step in order to catch up to the older man and the two walked side by side. After sending a quick text to Sora saying that he didn't need a ride, Roxas followed after Axel swiftly.

"Are you sure?" Roxas found himself asking. "I mean, I could always have my friend pick me up." When Axel didn't reply, the blond rolled his eyes. "Alright, whatever, thanks for the ride in advance." Glancing down at Roxas from the corner of his eyes, Axel smirked once again. They were quiet as they walked; the only sound audible was the sound of their footsteps as their shoes met concrete and pavement. When they reached the parking lot, Axel led the younger boy to his car. 'Well, it's certainly not a Behemoth.' Having been driven around by Riku for so long as well as having a fancy Chimera model that he shared with Sora, Roxas honestly forgotten what a normal car look like. Once they both got situated into the car and were buckled in safely, Axel fired up the engine, applied pressure on the brake pedal and lowered the hand brake. Looking over his shoulder, he checked for any stray idiots roaming the parking lot and upon seeing that the coast was clear, Axel pulled out of his parking spot and leisurely began driving.

Resisting the urge to fumble with the radio, Roxas crossed his arms and looked out at the sky. There was a sense of awkwardness that waft about in the air but neither commented on it simply because if they were to do so, it would only get even more awkward. Leaning back in the his driver's seat, Axel rested his left elbow on the windowsill of the door, touching his cheek to his fist as he used his right arm to control the steering wheel. 'I feel like I should thank the kid for letting me use his phone.' Axel thought mentally, frowning a little. 'But we've such asshats to each other though.' Coming to a stop at the red light, the crimson haired man glanced at Roxas quickly. 'Demyx was right though, the kid wasn't too bad, at least for today anyway.'

'He certainly is a safer driver than Riku.' Roxas mentally concluded. Other than telling Axel the directions to his house, the two did not exchange any sort of pleasantries. But then again, perhaps that was a good thing. This was a new territory for them now. Not even five hours ago, they had harbored ill feelings towards one another but in the span of only three hours – they regarded one another in a new sense. Axel was a responsible and mature individual; Roxas could agree with that statement whole-heartedly. Likewise, Axel's view of Roxas changed as well; he was understanding and didn't seem to ask for too much in return. Even now, neither Axel nor Roxas could outright say that they despised or hated one another anymore. Clearing his throat, Roxas nodded. "This is it, thanks again for the ride home and tutoring session." Unbuckling the seatbelt, he looked over at Axel quickly. "If you ever want to talk to Kairi or something, just let me know. You can use my phone and stuff."

"That would require me getting your number first." Axel said immediately with a roll of his eyes. Like many times before, his smug sharpness and clever tongue acted on their own accord before he thought his actions through. Bingo, awkward. Seeing Roxas' eyes grow wide, the redhead was quick to correct himself. "Don't listen to me, I wasn't thinking." Shaking his head, Axel mentally begged Roxas to get out of his car. 'I really need to get my head on straight.'

"No, you're right." Taking out a scrap piece of paper, Roxas quickly jotted down his number and placed it in the ashtray that Axel kept in his car. His movements were fluid, suggesting that it was ultimately up to Axel if he wanted to take it or not. Slipping out of the car, Roxas held his right hand up in a goodbye. "Thanks again for the ride and study sesh." As he made a move to turn around, he heard a soft hum.

"Nah, thank _you _for letting me talk to Kairi, Roxas." Feeling a little embarrassed at having now just said Roxas' name for the first time today, Axel brushed a thumb across his nose. "Good luck on your midterm. Remember what I told you and you should be fine." Without giving Roxas a chance to reply again, Axel stepped on the gas pedal and drove away, not once looking back at the rear view mirror. Roxas watched as the redhead's car got further and further away before he shook his head and began walking up to the front door.

'These are some dangerous grounds right now.' The blond concluded. 'Strangely enough though, he's not as much of an asshole as I thought.' Inserting his house key into the keyhole, he unlocked the front door and stepped inside, removing his shoes and aligning them neatly beside the rest of his family's. 'He's still an asshole, but definitely not as bad as I had initially thought.' Shoving a hand into his pocket, Roxas wrapped his fingers around his phone. 'Why do I feel like I want him around? Then again, maybe we could just be friends. We could be like Riku and Sora, just best friends and nothing more.' He sighed loudly, his mind growing tired. Roxas felt like he was going through some sort of inner turmoil and he wasn't sure what side of him was winning right now. Walking into his room, he collapsed on the bed tiredly and looked up at the white ceiling above him. 'I hope he calls.'

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Author's Notes: Bam! Double whammy! Two chapters in one week! Am I boss or what!? I even made this one up to like 7k words or so. I haven't written a chapter that long in ages! I definitely think I deserve some reviews for that huh? :) I'm just teasing. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter because I definitely did. I got really excited writing this because it was really nice to write a pleasant interaction between the Axel and Roxas.

Also, Demyx's soul mate is Xigbar. If you knew me, you would have known but I kept it subtle so no one could possibly find out. That one's for you Sabrina, I HOPE YOU'RE HAPPY. Of course, Xiggy will be making a reappearance sometime soon for the Zemyx interactions. I need to write me some SoRiku too. Dayum, so many things to do. For now, I hope you enjoyed the growth in relationship between Axel and Roxas. Like always, horribly unedited. I'm dead tired. I promise to edit this in the morning.

Review, fave, follow, any of that stuff :) Reviews make my heart go doki doki though :)


	12. 252 Days Left

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or its characters

Chapter: 12 "**252 Days Left**"

Author's Notes: Hello everyone! Thank you to anyone who read, faved, followed, and those that reviewed! We are at 150 reviews now which is totally fantastic. Will you help me on my journey of getting 500+ reviews? I think this is definitely achievable! Don't you? No? Just me? Maybe my dad? If you get that reference, you win the internet. So, the other pairings have been on the lacking side lately. I present to you, SoRiku, Zemyx, Cleon, and well, probably some AkuRoku too. Their little interactions and moments anyway. Enjoy yourselves!

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"So tell me about this soul mate of yours."

Demyx blinked and looked up from his guitar, his brows turned upwards in surprise. At the moment, he and Axel were sitting at their usual café but this time, they weren't on break. Their classes had ended for the day and they put it to good use. Narrowing his eyes a little, the blond looked at his friend. "I thought I already told you."

Axel shook his head as he set down his cup of coffee. "No, you told me the bare minimum. I at least told you the name of my soul mate; it'd be nice if you did the same." Smirking at the glare Demyx sent him, the older man leaned back in his metal chair, making himself comfortable. "Well?"

"You're really obnoxious, you know that?" He immediately returned, ignoring the smug look on Axel's face. Returning his attention back to his guitar, Demyx resumed his idle strumming. "His name's Xigbar Freeshooter. He's a retired sniper and worked closely alongside SOLDIERs. To be honest, I don't know too much about him." Gliding his fingers along the strings, Demyx began humming in key. "We didn't talk very much though but it wasn't awkward. We just kind of went our separate ways." Pausing slightly however, Demyx looked up and glanced up at the sky. "It was nice though. I felt really happy."

"What do you mean?"

Sighing a little, almost dreamily, Demyx leaned back in his chair. "It's hard to explain but I just felt complete, you know? I felt at peace knowing he was there. I felt all calm and relaxed." Without even realizing that he was doing so, a small smile made its way onto Demyx's face. He tilted his head to the side and glanced at Axel from the corner of his eyes. "Do you ever feel like that whenever you're in Roxas' presence?"

Scoffing in reply, Axel crossed his arms. "Don't be ridiculous. The only thing I ever feel when I'm with him is pure rage. He's such an insufferable kid." Tapping his finger against his thin yet well-toned bicep, the redhead raised a brow. "I'm not really sure what you're talking about but hey, good for you." Demyx simply shrugged and resumed the playing of his guitar. Seeing as his best friend's attention was now elsewhere, Axel frowned and narrowed his eyes a bit as his hand floated downwards to slip into his side pocket. His long fingers flexed over his phone as he sighed inaudibly. 'Who am I kidding? I'd be lying if I said I didn't really understand what Demyx meant.' Thinking back to the week before when he had been helping Roxas study, he was reminded of the sound of his thundering heart when they touched. Although their touch was brief, it was enough that even Axel couldn't deny the overwhelming sense of unity between them. To be in the presence of one's soul mate is something so unexplainable; it is as if some divine power had come into play. 'I don't want to get any closer to him than I have to though. There's absolutely no way in hell that I'm going to endorse this whole "soul mate bullshit" but still,' the crimson haired man furrowed his brow a bit, 'I can't not talk to him. Especially now that I can talk to Kairi through him, I can't push him away. Then again though, he must not be that bad of a person if he's willing to let me use his phone to talk to her. Goddammit, what the hell should I do?' As he began to delve deeper into his next move, Axel quieted considerably, immediately causing curiosity to rouse within Demyx.

'What's going on now?' Demyx questioned inaudibly as he raised a thin brow. The blond kept on strumming but he continued to watch his best friend like a hawk. His trained eyes noticed the tension in the redhead's shoulders and how he suddenly became extremely quiet. 'What are you thinking about, Axel?' As he opened his mouth to question the older man, he was stopped by a familiar feeling spreading throughout his chest. Placing a hand over the left side of his chest, he felt for the beating of his heart and instantly knew what was causing this sudden burst of energy within him – Xigbar was here and he was close. Turning to look over his shoulder, he spied the dark haired man before looking away to hide the small but noticeable blush adorning his cheeks. It wasn't that he was in love with Xigbar or anything like that, but it was still a little embarrassing to be in the direct presence of the one he was supposed to be with. 'Get a grip, Dem!' He chastised himself as he inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly in his efforts to calm his rapidly beating heart.

Axel paused in his thinking to look at his best friend, now noticing the flustered look on Demyx's face. Leaning his face to look down at the blond, a thin crimson brow raised. "You alright? What's up?" Not bothering to answer Axel's question, Demyx leaned away and took another quick glance over at Xigbar before straightening his form, wanting to seem disinterested. Axel followed his gaze and frowned, not at all seeing what Demyx was seeing. "What the hell is up with you, Dem?"

To keep up his faux-relaxed visage, the musician laughed nervously and reached up to rub the back of his head. "I thought I saw something funny." Demyx said, lying through his teeth. Tilting his head suspiciously at that, Axel hummed thoughtfully before shrugging and letting the issue go. Whatever it was, it was obvious that Demyx didn't want to talk about it. Picking up his phone, he returned his attention back to the task at hand. Seeing as Axel didn't press the matter any further, Demyx sighed in relief before an amused voice spoke by his side.

"'Something funny', huh? As if!"

Turning his head to face the direction of the voice, Demyx blinked and frowned. 'Speak of the devil, here he is.' With a smirk on his face, Xigbar was staring down at him with smug eyes. "Uh, hey there. What can I do for you?" The blond asked, trying to push away the blush creeping up on his face. For Goddess' sake, he wasn't in love! Really! It was just weird for him to be talking to his soul mate like this! That's all it was! Feeling his blush get even harder, Demyx was quick to turn his face away.

"Hey kid." Xigbar replied back easily, seemingly pleased at the way Demyx was so flustered at seeing him. Truth be told, like Demyx, he wasn't the slightest big attracted to the other man. Hell, he was a married man and had been for several years now. He even had a daughter, Paine, who was around ten years old. It was honestly just fun for him to see how much of an effect he had on Demyx. It was quite comical really. Although he himself did not have a timer, he knew Demyx was his soul mate. It was difficult to explain how exactly he knew but well, he just did. He could just feel it, you know? Lifting a hand, he placed it on top of Demyx's blond head and ruffled the blond locks gently. "I was on my way to pick up my girl, saw you, and though I'd say hi." Ruffling Demyx's hair again, Xigbar chuckled. "So, hi." The college student mumbled a word of thanks and nodded his head, causing Xigbar to chuckle once more. 'Kid's cute.' He complimented mentally before nodding. He had somewhere to be and with that, he retracted his hand back. "See you around, kid."

Feeling the air around him beginning to chill, Demyx shivered inwardly, watching as his soul mate walked away. It killed him to admit that having Xigbar beside him warmed him up better than any winter coat could. A part of him was happy that Xigbar was leaving but another part of him; the biggest part anyway, didn't want to see him go. Again, he wasn't in love. He just felt at ease in Xigbar's presence. Granted, he probably didn't know a thing about him but just having him there was enough to make him, well, happy. 'I don't know what I want anymore. Before I knew of him, I was fine with not meeting my soul mate. Wasn't I the one who said I'd follow where the ripples went? Stop it Etro, I know I'm not in love with him and that he certainly isn't in love with me either. He has a family and he's married man.' Leaning his guitar against the side of his chair, Demyx wrapped his arms around his torso, suddenly feeling disgusted with himself. 'Stop it Demyx…But what if he's my only chance at happiness though? What if I don't ever find anyone else to love or to love me back? A soul mate is supposed to be your carbon copy right? That means the only one for you.' Feeling an overwhelming sense of pity for himself, the blond shook his head. 'I suddenly feel like one of those people that are in love with the ideaof being in love.' He didn't want Xigbar in that way; he'd be denying Xigbar his happiness if he were to be with him. But then, wasn't Xigbar his to love right from the very beginning? 'What chance at happiness will I have now if even my soul mate can't be with me?'

"Hey." Another voice called, snapping Demyx out of his thoughts and causing him to look straight up. Zexion stood before him with a passive expression, his brows turned upwards. "I texted you an hour ago and you have yet to reply. I figured the only logical explanation for your lack of replying is because you are dead or simply in the process of dying." The grey haired boy chuckled lightly. "But, I guess you are not dead after all." Lifting a hand, he threaded his fingers through Demyx's hair, just as Xigbar had done only moments ago. "Good, I'm glad."

Looking up to meet Zexion's gaze, his own set of blue eyes stared back into Zexion's almost as if he was searching for something. "Sorry." Demyx apologized, his voice seemingly distracted. Zexion had always been an intelligent and calculating person, always studying things in great detail. Even now, Demyx could see Zexion attempting to read his emotions. Feeling Zexion pull his hand away, the blond looked away. 'It's like I thought. It doesn't feel the same at all.' He concluded, referring to the feeling of Xigbar's fingers in his hair as opposed to Zexion's. Getting out of his chair, Demyx scanned his guitar briefly before picking it up and putting it away in its case. "What did you want?"

Zexion readjusted the strap of his school bag and tucked his book in closer to his body. "Xion wanted to know if you were free today to look over her music theory homework. For some reason, she doesn't trust my opinion and wants yours." Rolling his eyes at Zexion's poor excuse for a 'compliment', the blond snorted and stood to his feet.

"Sure, I'll help." Picking up his guitar case, he turned around to face Axel who was also getting up, his phone held tightly in his hand. "I'll see you around, okay? Maybe we'll get some lunch tomorrow? Zexion will pay." Shoving the blond beside him, the said paying man only scoffed in reply. Lifting a hand, Demyx and Zexion said their goodbyes and walked away. Axel watched them go before staring down at his phone at the message he had just received.

"_Yeah, I'll be waiting_."

* * *

"Sora, quit it." Riku demanded, pushing the brunet's face away as he tried to take another peek at the take-home quiz in front of him. Sora glared at him briefly and made his way over to Riku again, trying his hardest to look at the answers on Riku's quiz. Using his hand, Riku plopped it straight on Sora's face again and applied some force, pushing him away yet again. Damn, this kid was so persistent! Growing annoyed, Riku rolled his eyes. "What is it going to take for you to get away for me?"

Sitting back properly in his computer chair this time, Sora grinned and crossed his arms behind his head. "Help me with my quiz!" He answered immediately. At his response however, Riku simply rolled his eyes again and turned back to his quiz. "Oh come on Riku, you know I don't understand chemistry! Help me!"

"That's your own damn fault! You don't ever study!"

"What's the point in studying if I don't even know the material to begin with!?"

"Again, that's your own damn fault!"

Shaking his head at the two bickering best friends, Roxas returned his attention back to his own take-home quiz. Granted, he would have gladly offered to help Sora but he had his own quiz to worry about too. The three of them were currently in the library of Radiant Academy and were working on their quizzes. Or rather, Riku and Roxas were. Sora wasn't doing so obviously. Tuning out their voice as background noise, the blond stretched his stiff arms briefly before looking back at his quiz. 'Okay, I need to do really good this quiz. Getting a 100% on it would definitely be ideal.' Thinking back to the midterm he had just gotten back not even three hours before, he would really need a perfect grade. All of his studying and tutoring with Marluxia and Axel had paid off because he had managed to get an A- on the test. 'The only shitty thing about an A- is now I'm at a borderline grade and my next grade could make me or break me.' The very second he had learned of his grade, he had sent a quick text to Marluxia letting him know. Not even a minute later, the college student responded and congratulated him swiftly, causing him to grin.

Glancing at his phone laying forgotten to his right, he frowned a little. 'I'd tell Axel if I could but I don't have his number.' After mulling it over in his head for nearly a week, the blond concluded that if he had to have Axel in his life, he'd rather they just be friends. There really was no point in always fighting one another every chance they got. 'I'd be lying if I said I didn't exactly enjoy our time together last week.' A pair of blue eyes then glanced down as Roxas sighed a little. 'That's right, it's been almost a whole week since we last talked.' And not once did Axel call or text his phone asking to use it. In all actuality, he had expected the redhead to call him the day after in which case he would have readily agreed to meet. 'I obviously still don't feel anything like _that _for him, but I'm not one to turn away a friendship if there's potential for one to grow.' Rubbing the back of his head, the blond frowned. 'Well, if it weren't for Kairi, he'd have no reason to talk to me.' Shrugging his shoulders, he pushed his thoughts away in favor of working on his take-home quiz. Picking up his pencil, he made a move to begin his writing when his phone surged to life. Darting his eyes over to it, he blinked. 'Whose number is that?' Abandoning his quiz once more, Roxas grabbed his phone and swiped his thumb, unlocking the text message from the unknown sender.

"_Hey, how'd you do on your midterm_?"

'It must be Axel.' He wisely concluded. Holding his phone in both of his hands now, he began typing back a response to the redhead. "I got an A- on it." His text said and with a soft hum, he pressed the send button and placed his phone back down on the desk. With the assumption that Axel would reply slowly, Roxas picked his pencil back up once again and resumed working on his quiz when his phone vibrated once again nearly seconds after he had sent his reply.

"_Really? Nice._" Pulling out his test from his chemistry folder, Roxas picked up his phone and held it away from the paper, making sure that the A- on the top of his test was in focus. Satisfied with the overall look of it, the blond snapped a picture of it and sent it to Axel. "_Hey smartass, I wasn't doubting you_." The reply said fifteen seconds later causing him to laugh a little. Okay, Axel didn't seem too bad; at least through text messages anyway.

"Thanks again for tutoring me. It really did help." Roxas' text stated.

"_No problem, thanks again for letting me talk to Kairi too_." The high school student made a move to reply when his phone vibrated once more. "_I'm sorry to ask but would it be okay if I borrowed your phone again today? I want to know how she's doing and how those bastards are treating her." _By the word 'bastards', Roxas could only assume that Axel was talking about his parents.

"Sure, when are you free? School is over for the day so I'm good whenever." Ignoring the familiar erratic beating of his heart, Roxas spun his phone around in his hand. Not wanting to acknowledge what exactly he was feeling, he attempted to busy himself with random actions. He'd go from spinning his phone to twirling his pen to tapping his foot and then restart the whole process all over again. There was a distinct difference in response time from now than when he and Axel had initially been texting. 'And that's what happened when you jump the gun.' Roxas berated himself before his phone vibrated finally.

"_Sorry about that. Anyway, I'm free right now. Do you want to meet up?" _After sending Axel the necessary directions to his school, Roxas began packing up his things. "_I'll pick you up in a bit_." Said the last text he was able to read. Shoving his textbooks and notebooks into his bag, the blond stood to his feet. As if just now noticing Roxas' beginning departure, Sora and Riku quieted down and were looking at him suspiciously. Where was Roxas going?

"That was Naminé, she wanted to me to come out to meet her and Xion for lunch." He stated smoothly, effectively lying through his cheeks. "I'd invite you and Riku but it'd probably be better if you stayed here and worked on your quiz." Sora immediately frowned at that, not at all happy about missing the opportunity to hang out with his friends. Not even a second after that frown appeared however, it was quickly replaced with a grin. After all, he'd get to hang out with them sooner or later.

Riku nodded at Roxas' response. "It's all good. Sora and I have practice today anyway so it kind of works out." Slapping the brunet's wandering hand again when it mysteriously floated too close to his quiz paper, Riku glared at Sora briefly before looking back at the boy's younger brother. "Do you need me to pick you up?" Clenching his fingers over his phone, Roxas shook his head.

"Nah, it's all good. I'll just ride my skateboard. Thanks though, Riku." After saying his goodbyes to the two best friends, Roxas made his way towards the exit. With his phone in his hand, his thumbs glided quickly around the touchscreen keyboard. "Yeah, I'll be waiting."

Sora and Riku watched Roxas leave interestedly before Sora turned back to Riku with a raised a brow. "Hey Riku, Roxas didn't bring his skateboard today, did he?" After the silver haired teen replied back that he didn't, Sora frowned. Now why would Roxas lie about something like that? "What the hell is he being so secretive about?"

"It's none of our business, Sora." Riku in turn replied. "What Roxas chooses to do with his time is his own business." Finishing the last of his take-home quiz, the teen slipped it into his school bag and nudged his best friend with his elbow. "Now what exactly do you want me to help you with?" At that, Sora immediately began to brighten.

"You mean it? You'll help me?!"

Smirking, Riku stood to his feet and threw his school bag over his shoulder. "Nah, time's up. Your window of opportunity was only three seconds long. You wasted it by asking me that question." Pushing in his computer chair, Riku raised a brow. "Come on, let's get to practice, shall we?" Rolling his eyes at Riku, Sora gathered his things together and stood to his feet as well.

"You know, if you really didn't want to help me that much, you could've just said so." Sora stated with a huff. Ignoring the teasing smirk Riku sent his way, Sora grunted and began walking towards the library's exit with a chuckling Riku not too far behind. 'And to think, the great and divine Etro 'blessed' me with this guy for a soul mate?' Sneaking a glance at Riku, Sora grunted softly once again. In all actuality, the two friends really were just messing with one another. Feeling the familiar yet comforting weight of Riku's hand on his head however, the brunet smiled softly. 'But then again, having Riku by my side for the rest of my life doesn't seem so bad either. He really is the best friend in the whole wide world.' Although Sora didn't know it, Riku was thinking the exact same thing.

'If I had to be stuck with one person for the rest of my life, I'm glad it's him.'

* * *

"_What?! _What do you mean you met your soul mate already?!" Axel cried out loud, startling Roxas and the rest of the people in the café they were at. Slamming his fist down on the table with incredible force, Axel's eyebrows turned downwards in displeasure. "You listen to me Kairi Gongaga, you are absolutely, _absolutely_ not allowed to be dating anyone right now, you hear me?! You are too damn young to be doing that sort of thing!"

Looking around, Roxas noticed how the other patrons kept staring at them and he rubbed the back of his head. He laughed a little embarrassingly, apologizing to them silently on behalf of the raging redhead he was currently sitting with. "I don't know him, I promise." They didn't seem to believe him however but that was probably to be expected, after all, he and Axel were sitting across from one another. Shooting a dirty look at Axel, Roxas typed a quick message on Axel's phone and held it up for the other to look at it.

"**Will you please lower your stupid voice? People are staring**." After reading over Roxas' message, Axel simply smirked and raised his eyebrows challengingly. He mouthed a simple response that left Roxas seething in rage. 'Goddess, what an asshole! I take it back, I'm better off without his friendship.' Bringing Axel's phone back down to the table, Roxas proceeded to spin it around, much like how he would do to his own during times of boredom. 'I know I said he wasn't a complete asshole last week but I take it back, he's a complete and total asshole.'

Watching the younger blond in front of him, Axel smirked once again. He was actually having somewhat of an enjoyable time with Roxas. Sure, he'd lied if asked, but he definitely didn't regret texting the boy earlier today. Listening to Kairi's words, he suddenly paused before resuming his yelling. "Who I choose to bring home is none of your goddamn business! I'm the adult here!" Roxas listened to the siblings' exchange with interest. He and Sora definitely didn't fight like this, at least, never with these colorful words. "Watch your fucking language, Kairi! Who I choose to put my dick in is none of your concern! I can do whatever and _whoever_ the hell I want!"

Roxas blinked. 'Well then, I feel extremely uncomfortable right now.' When Axel had asked to use his phone, he definitely didn't expect for the conversation between the two siblings to turn out like this. He had expected the two to gush and go on and on about how they missed one another but instead, he got this, a screaming match between two redheaded siblings. Resting his elbow on the table and touching his fist to his cheek, the blond studied the redhead before him. 'It is nice to see him so lively though.'

"Well? What's the little shithead's name?" Axel asked, rolling his eyes at the scoff he heard in his ear when Kairi refused to answer. "What do you mean 'as if I would tell you'? Listen here Kairi, it's either you tell me or I track down the little shithead myself." There was a pause before Axel burst out laughing. "Seifer Almasy?! What kind of name is that?!"

'Seifer? Kairi's soul mate is Seifer?!' Seifer was a student over at Radiant Academy and he was always picking fights with him and Hayner. He was usually accompanied by Fuu and Rai, his so-called 'posse'. While he himself could somewhat tolerate the other blond, the mere sight of Seifer always sent Hayner into a fit of pure rage. There was a rivalry of sorts between the two that Roxas could never understand. Typing another quick message on Axel's phone, the high school student held it up for the crimson haired man to see. "**He's a douchebag; don't let Kairi anywhere near him**."

Reading over the message quickly, Axel raised a brow. "Why?" he mouthed.

"**He likes to pick fights and she's too good for him**."

Humming softly in reply, Axel's eyes narrowed. "There's no way in hell I'm letting you date a guy with a name like that. He sounds like an idiotic douchebag." Pausing to take a sip from his coffee, he listened to Kairi's response. "I don't care Kairi; you're too young to be dating." There was another pause on his end before he rolled his eyes and resumed his yelling once more. "Listen to me Kairi, you are _not _allowed to date _anyone _until I say so! Quit arguing with me! I'm the one in charge here remember?! Besides, who the hell wants to have a douchebag for a soul mate?! … _What?!_ When have _I_ ever been a douchebag?! If anything, he started it!"

Shaking his head, Roxas rolled his eyes. Finishing the last of his tea, Roxas stood up to dispose of it. Walking towards the garbage bin, he threw it away in the proper bin and turned around, making his way back to his table. Slipping into his seat, he leaned back against the chair's headboard. 'He acts all tough and mad but he really does care about Kairi's wellbeing.' The blond hummed thoughtfully as he continued to watch Axel yelling at his sister. 'His voice is annoying, his mannerisms are complete shit, and he's arrogant as hell. But, he's not so bad.' Glancing at the time on Axel's phone, he found that almost 30 minutes had passed since they had first met up. 'Has it really only been that long? I feel I've been hearing scream and shout for over an hour already.' Grunting softly, Roxas closed his eyes as he leaned back in his chair. 'Time seems to stop when I'm with him.'

* * *

Shutting the door behind him with a soft click, Leon leaned back against the wooden door briefly before pushing himself off of it and moving to stand in the middle of the hallway. Adjacent to him, Cloud was also doing the same. "Is Sora asleep?" He asked, his voice soft and quiet so he didn't wake up his sleeping sons.

The blond nodded. "And Roxas?"

"Asleep as well." Checking on the boys was something both parents always did during the night. It had become sort of a habit for Leon and Cloud to slip into their boys' rooms unnoticed. They would pause and wait, watching their sons sleep soundly, before slipping out without another word. The brunet focused his attention on Cloud, noticing how he was studying him silently. "What is it?"

Always the stoic one, Cloud didn't reply. He did however grunt softly under his breath before moving away from his husband in direction of their bedroom. Leon studied the curve of the blond's back with interest; after all, Cloud was a very handsome man. Even in his black sleeveless shirt, Leon could see the tiniest bit of Cloud's muscles flexing as they worked together with the rest of his body to move. He heard the distinct sound of the showerhead being turned on and sighed. Reaching up to finger his Griever necklace, he ran his thumb along the lion's head. 'He's been acting strange ever since Rinoa was brought up last week. What is he thinking about though?' Figuring it out quickly, he sighed. 'Just like how he can never forget his love of Aerith, I can never forget my love of Rinoa. But, that was all in the past, we aren't the same men anymore.' Making his way towards the bathroom connected to the master bedroom he shared with Cloud, he paused in front of the shower, noticing how Cloud had his back towards him. Removing his leather jacket as well as his white shirt, he stepped into the shower behind Cloud, not at all caring that the water was soaking his leather pants. Being a whole head taller than Cloud, Leon looked down at him with concern. "You know as well as I do that our past does not define us."

"We are who we are _because _of our past." Cloud pointed out lightly, feeling his husband's arms slowly come to wrap themselves around his waist from behind. "Don't speak as though we are the same, Squall." Clenching his hands into fists, the ex-SOLDIER frowned. "I severed those ties with Aerith years ago yet you still have your ties with Rinoa. She may not wear the ring of Griever anymore, but _you _still wear her angel wings upon your back. And don't even get me started on your necklace."

Bringing the blond backwards against him forcefully, he ignored the growl that thundered from Cloud's throat. "She is a part of me just like Aerith is a part of you. We will _always _have those bonds. Whether or not we choose to act upon them is entirely up to us." Curving his arm up to rest on Cloud's left pectoral, Leon raked his fingers across the smooth skin. Leaning his face down with his lips inches away from Cloud's ear, Leon spoke in a low voice. "Don't tell me you still don't feel exhilarated in her presence." Nipping the top of his husband's ear gently, Leon chuckled. "And don't tell me that you still can't hear the beating of her heart."

"Why are you doing this, Leon?" Cloud asked, his voice tight and unfeeling.

Placing his hand on the younger man's hips, Leon spun him around so that they were now facing each other. "You have to understand that I will always, _always_, have a bond with Rinoa. It's just like how you will always have a bond with Aerith. There's nothing wrong with that. That's the just the way it is. Even in death, we will still have those bonds." Leon inclined his head slightly, leaning down even more so that their lips were mere inches away from one another. "But, there will always be a bond between _us _as well."

Taking in Leon's musky scent, Cloud shuddered slightly. "I can't hear your heartbeat, Leon. I can't and I never will." His arms hung limp by his side but he ached to hold his husband. It just wasn't fair – why couldn't he and Leon actually be soul mates? "There is nothing holding us together. We are _never_ going to have that!" Laying his own hand on Leon's heart, Cloud's eyes hardened. "I can feel your heart beating Leon, but I can't hear it. Even as we speak, I can hear another beat, but it's not yours, it's _Aerith's_. And you can't hear mine either, can you? You can only hear Rinoa's!"

Taking Cloud's face into his hands, Leon glared harshly. "Listen to me, Cloud! We _are _soul mates! Yes, I can't hear your heartbeat and you can't hear mine, but there's nothing wrong with that! I can _feel_ your heart, can't I? Just as you can feel mine? Shouldn't that be enough? Dammit Cloud, we've been together for _years!_ We have a family and two sons, both of who are growing up strong, because we are doing something _right_! Fuck what any timer says!"

Feeling his walls beginning to shatter, the blond clenched a fist and punched his husband across the chest. It wasn't too hard, probably enough to leave a small bruise. Leaning his head against Leon's chest, Cloud uttered a soft cry. "But why can't I have all of you? There's a still a part of you that will never be mine." He had known that Leon wasn't his true soul mate but what had he done wrong for Etro to punish him so? There would always be a side of Leon that he could never understand and it was absolutely heartbreaking. To love someone so much and not even be able to call them completely yours was truly and utterly heartbreaking.

Hugging his husband close, Leon pressed his lips tenderly to one of Cloud's unruly spikes. "I will always love you and only you. That will never change." He swore softly as he leaned forward and captured Cloud's lips. His arms tightened around Cloud's waist as the blond reached up to place a hand on his right cheek. A groan of appreciation thundered from Leon's throat as a tongue seeking love and acceptance entered his mouth. 'I will never _ever_ love like this ever again.' He thought finally as he allowed himself to succumb to both his and Cloud's need for one another.

* * *

Author's Notes: Hi! I'm not quite sure how I feel about this chapter. At times I found myself hating it and then there were times when I kind of liked it. I'm not sure how the Cleon turned so dark too but Cloud feels a little insecure sometimes. We've hit 100 follows! Amazeballs! Good job everyone. Also if you're curious, the reason why Cloud and Leon can hear the heartbeats of Aerith and Rinoa respectively, it's because they were once in love with them. The severity of being in love with your soul mates brings you both closer physically and mentally. I'm sure in time Axel and Roxas as well as Riku and Sora will both begin to hear the same. Again, an unedited mess. I ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT I LOVE THE SHIP THAT IS SEIFER AND KAIRI. IF YOU READ THE KINGDOM HEARTS NOVELS, YOU'D SHIP THEM TOO.

Read and review my loves! Until next time!


	13. 249 Days Left

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or its characters

Chapter: 13 "**249 Days Left**"

Author's Notes: Hello you beautiful people! Thank you to the people that read, faved, followed, and reviewed! It's nice to get comments from my readers. Behold chapter 13 after a wonderful two week hiatus! I had many projects and papers so I was super busy! I also recently just bought Microsoft Office 2013 University Edition and I can say with the utmost confidence that I ABSOLUTELY FRIGGIN' HATE IT. It's so damn white and bright that it's making my eyes hurt. I actually would rather use the 2003 version that I still have on my laptop. I actually also need to replace my battery in said laptop. I also want to buy more RAM for said laptop. Tomb Raider has been calling my name for a really long time now. SimCity can never be replaced though.

And yes, my love for Seifer and Kairi stemmed forth from the Kingdom Hearts II volumes. The very second she introduces herself to him, he is absolutely speechless and has the most adorable of blushes on his face. When I'm not shipping Kairi with Sora and Riku, I ship her with Seifer. I also greatly approve of a sibling relationship between her and Axel or in the canon sense, Lea in the games. I also have been listening to the orchestral version of Hikari and all I can say is that I can mentally replay every single scene in the KH3D opening to the beat of the song. Also, listening to Passion breaks my heart as I think of Roxas as he descends in his Dive. Why must Kingdom Hearts break my heart so? I'm too emotionally invested in it, that's why. Though, not enough to cry. If any of you cry over something you're passionate about, I really envy you.

Just to let you guys know, I do admit that I love the ship that is Hopurai. Yes, I ship Lightning and Adult!Hope. In FFXIII-2, he has gotten older and since she is in a world where time does not flow, they are around the same age now. She was the older sister he needed in FFXIII but then in FFXIII-2, I have a headcannon that his admiration for her grew to that of a romantic love. It could even be one-sided. I don't see her with Noctis simply because I have never seen the two interact before as of this moment for obviously reasons. By playing both games, I have many thoughts about their relationship – from Hope admiring her and her caring for him, to her disappearing and him acting on her behalf and attempting to change the future. He even becomes her guide in LR: FFXIII-3. If you don't ship Hopurai, that's fine, I don't care. If you ship Hope with Vanille, that's cool too. I just prefer her with Fang and him with Lightning.

Bit of a long author's note, huh? Without further procrastination, I present to you chapter 13. Enjoy!

* * *

Today was a Wednesday and on this particular Wednesday, there was no school. It was a professional day for teachers which meant classes were canceled for the day and students were exempted from school. Professional days occurred three times throughout the year, allowing teachers to finish all the last-minute grading they needed to get done before the quarter semester was up. Radiant Academy students alike all reveled in the wonderfulness that was professional day; no school, no teachers, and most importantly yet again, no school. Like the other students, Sora and Roxas approached the day off with the mindset of doing absolutely nothing all day long…

"Get up you two!" Leon's voice boomed throughout the house as he and Cloud simultaneously threw open the doors to Sora and Roxas' bedrooms. The bang thundered and rang throughout the walls, causing the boys to bolt up straight out of bed, their chests rising and falling in shock. With their hair disheveled and eyes still hazy from grogginess, they both blinked within their respective rooms, still trying to understand what was going on at the moment. Leon, stationed in Sora's room, and Cloud in Roxas', both sported unimpressed expressions as they looked upon their sleeping sons. Although both parents were located in separate rooms, Leon's voice was loud enough to penetrate the walls of Roxas' domain. "It's already 9:15 in the morning and both of you are still sleeping! This is absolutely unacceptable! Get up right _now_!"

Swaying slightly, Sora rubbed at his tired eyes and yawned. "Dad," He began, drawing out the last letter with his voice, "We don't have school today. Can't Roxas and I just sleep in a little?" As he made a move to sink back into bed, Leon's fist struck the wall, causing yet another bang to be heard.

"You already _are_ sleeping in. Waking up any time after 7:30 AM is unacceptable in this house, you know that. The only exception to this rule is during the weekend when the time gets extended to 8:15 in the morning." Leon strictly stated, his tone hard and reeking of discipline. Both he and his husband had been soldiers; they were accustomed to waking up before the sun did. Their sons however, not so much. Over in Roxas' room, Cloud raised a brow impatiently as he crossed his arms.

"You heard your father Roxas, it's time to get up." Despite their fathers' words, both Roxas and Sora remained in their sitting positions in bed, probably still trying to rouse from their sleep. As if sensing their sons' lack of movement, the ex-SOLDIER and ex-SeeD mercenary furrowed their eyebrows. "That's it," they both said in unison even whilst being in separate rooms, "Saturday afternoon's usual training session has been moved to today. Get up, get ready, and meet your father and I outside in exactly fifteen minutes." Ignoring the mutual groans sounding from Roxas and Sora's throats, Cloud and Leon walked out of their sons' rooms. They were silent as they met in the middle of the hallway but when their eyes locked, a comfortable silence fell between them. The tiniest of smiles made its way onto Cloud's face as he looked upon the face of his beloved and likewise, Leon's face became gentle.

Although they didn't actually fight that day when Cloud voiced his insecurities, they made up like soul mates usually did. It's difficult to stay mad at the person you've been in love with for so long after all. This movement was short-lived however – "10 minutes!" The two shouted together, startling the boys and finally causing them to jump out of bed and run towards the bathroom. Side-stepping out of the way, Cloud and Leon watched as the two brothers tried to trip and push each other out of the way so they could wash up first because honestly, neither of them wanted to be punished, especially when they had Leon and Cloud for a father.

* * *

The distinct sound of clashing steel blades roared throughout the air as both Sora and Roxas jumped several feet away from each other, their chests rising and falling tiredly. Beads of sweat ran down the incline of their temples as they panted. With their weapons held tightly in their hands and knees bent slightly, they waited, watching each other intensely. Ever since they were six or seven or so, Roxas and Sora both loved sparring with one another. Although when they were younger, their play-fighting consisted of wooden swords and sticks, it was not until Leon and Cloud observed their playing sons that they decided to truly train them in the art of swordsmanship. It had become a weekly routine for the family to spend the Saturday afternoon fighting and learning. In Cloud and Leon's eyes, it would be good for the boys to learn some sort of defense and like their fathers, Sora and Roxas were strong.

Unlike Leon's Gunblade and Cloud's Buster Sword, Sora and Roxas wielded a weapon known as the Keyblade. Originally designed by Xehanort and the people of the Shinra Electric Power Company, the Keyblade was a weapon that only certain people could wield. It differed from generic swords in the way that it resonated with the person's soul and corresponded with their wavelength. A quality not found in most, the Keyblade was perhaps the rarest of all weapons as it specifically chose its wielder. Only certain people like Sora and Roxas could unlock its true power. Not many people could wield it and the fact that both Roxas _and _Sora could, made their fathers extremely proud. No doubt their two boys would become strong than them someday.

Although they utilized virtually the same weapon, their fighting styles were vastly different. Sora, armed with his Keyblade he nicknamed 'Kingdom Key', had a two-handed fighting style. He was usually a patient fighter, calculating his next move with incredible accuracy. While at times he struggled in school, he had a certain adept aptitude for fighting, one that definitely rivaled Roxas' who did well in school but could still be defeated by his older brother. An all-around good fighter, he was steady and tireless. For a boy who barely understood chemistry, Sora excelled at physical combat. Of course, Roxas was also strong; however, he was also incredibly reckless. Rather than wait to analyze the situation, Roxas often just charged right in. His power was evident in the way that he channeled his anger into his fighting, often using it as a driving force to quickly overpower his opponents. Whereas the brunet was quick, Roxas was _incredibly_ fast – he could disappear with a blink of an eye if you weren't careful. Unlike Sora who gripped his Keyblade with two hands, Roxas dual-wielded them. He named them 'Oathkeeper' and 'Oblivion'; Oathkeeper referred to the promise Cloud and Leon took upon their meeting and Oblivion represented the demise of his original, biological parents.

Sora and Roxas sucked in a breath quickly as they both immediately charged towards one another, their weapons drawn and at the ready. They swung at one another, almost violently, ducking and dodging every swing the other would try to bestow upon one another. Their lips were curled in determination and as Sora raised his Kingdom Key skywards, Roxas crossed his Oathkeeper and Oblivion in an X-formation. For Roxas to go on the defensive was a little strange; he always favored aggression over defense. From the other side of the backyard, Cloud and Leon stood side by side, their shoulders practically touching. The two had previously been fighting each other and only just now paused in their own sparring so they could observe their sons fighting.

"They really have improved over the years." Cloud observed, his eyes following every movement the boys made. He watched as Roxas deflected another of Sora's attacks before immediately began going on the offensive, slicing and hacking with his dual Keyblades. The blond felt his husband shift beside him and from the corner of his eyes, he saw Leon rest his Gunblade upon his strong shoulders. "It's good that we've been training them all this time."

A dull hum sounded from Leon's throat as he paused thoughtfully. "In a world like ours, it'd be wrong _not_ to." Although the Zanarkand War had occurred several years ago, there was still tension within the world but of course, that was to be expected. When there are people in the world, there is war. One could not exist without the other – it simply was not realistic. There was no such thing as a 'Utopia', those didn't exist. They never would, not now, not ever. Distancing his mind from his two sparring boys, Leon's voice quieted considerably. "Gran Pulse is getting restless."

Turning his attention away from Sora and Roxas, Cloud looked towards Leon. "Yes, I've heard." Almost in unison, both ex-military personnel tightened their grips on the hilts of their respective swords. "It's enough that even the General himself is concerned." The land of Gran Pulse was large and expansive, located further up north. It bordered the line between Radiant Garden and Zanarkand and suffered greatly because of it. During the war, it was a hotspot for civilian casualties and its population dwindled over the years. Not much was known about Gran Pulse, only that it was home to a group of nomadic people called the 'Farseers' and that they relied on the different species of wildlife found only in Gran Pulse to survive. They were a group of traditional people, ones that did not rely on machinery like Radiant Garden or Zanarkand.

"Another member of the Guardian Corps was found dead last night with slash marks across his torso. If this gets any more out of hand, soon they'll be dispatching us as well to investigate. He had four claw marks if I'm not mistaken. Commander Farron was certainly not happy about that." Leon added as he could practically see the anger all over Lightning's face upon arriving at the scene of the crime. The Guardian Corps was Radiant Garden's law enforcement. They dealt with domestic issues and protected Radiant Garden citizens while SOLDIERs and SeeD mercenaries acted as the city's main military force. They were the ones that kept peace and sanctity within the city and although they well-trained enough to fight alongside the military, their main job was to apprehend the criminals of Radiant Garden and keep the area safe.

"But claw marks? The Farseers have never been able to domesticate these kinds of animals in Gran Pulse, it just doesn't make any sense. They only depend on the herbivores for that matter, for things like wool and food." Cloud's voice then dropped low. "And I've never seen anything _that _big in Gran Pulse. Whatever killed that man could not have been natural." Thinking back to how he himself had been injected with the properties of Mako, he shuddered when he was reminded of how unnatural forces could greatly empower life.

Watching as the two fighting boys clashed Keyblades once again, Leon could only nod in reply. "The jury's still out, we're still not sure if this was an accident or some sort of hostile ambush. It could have been a pre-empted attack, who knows? It's too soon to deduce any of that information. The last thing we need is another war. I'm not so sure Radiant Garden could handle something like that again, not when we've already lost so much." Although they both knew that if a war were to happen, they now had an ally in the form of Zanarkand, they couldn't afford to lose any more precious people. Both Zanarkand and Radiant Garden had lost a good deal of their citizens during the times of war, both nations were already fragile – it would just be cruel to fight again. "Commander Farron, Director Esthiem, and members of the Academy went out again earlier this morning to survey the area. Hopefully whatever got the best of him, doesn't get the best of them."

Grunting under his breath, Cloud shrugged indifferently. "With Lightning there, no one will get hurt. I'm surprised she hasn't already risen up to Commissioner already. She's strong, _too_ strong even, I'm sure they'll be fine. She has Hope with her too, they've always worked well together." Still, both Leon and Cloud were worried about that man's death, it just seemed so bizarre for the Farseers to launch an attack. But then again, it could have been completely accidental. The Farseers didn't rely on carnivorous animals after all.

"Just because they haven't been able to domesticate them before doesn't mean that they haven't been able to learn how to do so now." Leon pointed out softly as he saw Roxas and Sora being knocked backwards due to the collision of their attacks. The boys fell over onto their backs at opposite sides of the backyard, their panting coming out in labored breaths. Wanting to distance themselves from their dark thoughts, Cloud and Leon shared one last look before moving to their tired sons. Leon went over to Roxas while Cloud went over to Sora. Both parents sported proud expressions, their earlier thoughts on the Farseers pushed far back into the recesses of their minds. "Good job, you're really improving." Holding out a hand for his son to take, the brunet smirked. "It looks like you and Sora are ready to fight us."

Groaning under their breaths, Sora and Roxas shakily responded to their fathers' outstretched hands and slowly allowed themselves to be pulled up. They stood upon tired legs but grinned sheepishly at the look Cloud and Leon gave them, they always loved to be praised by their beloved fathers. "You think so?" Sora questioned hopefully. "Do you really think we're ready?"

"We've been training you two for years, how could you not be ready?" Cloud asked back as a challenging smirk replace his proud smile. Unsheathing his large Buster Sword, Cloud twirled it expertly before holding it at the ready with both of his hands. Crouching lowly, he raised his eyebrows. Over on the other side, Leon was beginning to do the same. With his Gunblade in his hands, Leon looked equally ready. "If you can cut us at least once, your father and I will up your allowance by 500 gil." Sora and Roxas definitely didn't need to be told twice there! With their earlier fatigue gone, both boys hurried to grab their Keyblades. Standing back to back, Sora and Roxas looked at their fathers who each stood across from them.

Fingers clenched over the hilts of their respective swords and not a second passed before they all starting running towards one another. Several different shades of blue met determinedly; sky blue for Sora and Roxas, Mako blue for Cloud, and cobalt blue for Leon. They sliced and hacked, and they swiped and jabbed. If a war was going to happen, at least Cloud and Leon could confidently say that their boys could hold their own. But then again, hopefully they wouldn't have any reason to.

* * *

Cursing under her breath, Lightning placed a hand on her hip and glared at the bloody massacred mess in front of her. It had just been a routine police patrol yet she couldn't even begin to understand why there was so much blood here. After having found another one of her officers torn at the chest the night before, she was in no mood to be trifled with. Crouching down lowly to the ground, she studied the blood-soak grass, the body having been removed only a few hours ago. "What do you think it was?" A voice asked behind her as she heard incoming footsteps.

Not even bothering to turn around, her blue eyes hardened. "It's tough to say from just looking at it." Sighing mentally, Lightning stood to her feet and crossed her arms. "Didn't you bring your Academy here for this?" Hope only smiled. "Well? What does the esteemed Academia have to say about my deceased officer?"

As quickly as his smile appeared, it disappeared just as quickly. Hope placed a hand on his hip as well as he shook his head. "It certainly wasn't a natural predator. My biologists think he was killed by some mutated megistotherian but it's impossible to know for sure until the autopsy is complete." Frowning in response, Lightning studied the blood once more. There was so much of it – megistotherians were solo hunters that only attacked in punctured form. If her officer really was killed by a megistotherian, there would have been less blood. This, this just looked unnatural and well, wrong.

"I've had four officers killed this week; you're going to have to give me more than that." As she spoke, she unsheathed her Gunblade as if she was about to hunt down the beast herself. While it was true that she and Leon both utilized the Gunblade as their weapon of choice, hers was a different model and far less heavy. It was tailored to her strengths specifically. "I don't understand it. What could have mutated it so much that it abandoned its natural form of killing? Megistotherians go for the throat, not the heart. It's like their cognitive processes were suddenly elevated to extreme levels." Taking hers words into consideration, Hope paused thoughtfully, wracking his brain for a possible answer. He crossed his arms when a thought suddenly occurred to him.

"Could it be that they've been infused with the power of Mako as well? Perhaps there was some sort of leakage from the Lifestream?"

"What are you talking about, Hope?" Lightning demanded, her brows immediately furrowing. "The use of genetic infusion has been banned for years now. Ever since Zack, Cloud, the General, and the other SOLDIERs were poisoned by it all, the use of Mako has been outlawed." Feeling Hope take her hand in his, she squeezed in briefly before stepping away, tapping onto the com-link cuff she had on her ear. As she opened her mouth to place a call towards Commissioner Amodar, one of Hope's Academy members called out to them.

"Commander Farron! Director Esthiem! A Shinra helicopter has just touched down! We have deduced that it is Reno Gongaga of the Turks!"

Feeling the need to straighten things out and get an answer as soon as possible, Lightning quickly made her way over to helicopter. Hope followed thusly after her, wanting to know as well what exactly was going on. Not at all fazed by the copter's spinning turbines, the pink haired woman stomped her way over to Reno's copter. Throwing the door open and not even giving him a chance to shut it off, Lightning grabbed onto the front of his shirt and dragged him out, her fingers curling into fits. "Reno! What the hell happened here!? Is it true there's been a Mako leak? Or have you and the rest of your Shinra executives been hiding something from us?"

Chuckling, Reno not so gently shoved her away from him. "If you're wondering about what killed your officer, your guess is as good as mine. We don't know happened here." His blue eyes then grew grim. "But if there has been a leak of some kind, we need to find it, and we need to find it fast. Just imagine what the power of Mako could do to the wildlife here; they could grow largely out of proportion and become so cognitively calculating that – well, I rather not say." Adjusting his rumpled shirt, Reno took a look behind Lightning at the bloodstains on the ground. "Director Esthiem," Reno called, looking over at Hope who met his eyes seriously, "What exactly attacked him?"

"We don't know yet but we're thinking it was a megistotherian." He answered, glancing back at his team of biologists who were still analyzing the area. "It's illogical to think that there's been a leak since we've spent so much time ensuring that there _weren't _any more leaks. Another possibility could be that the species has simply evolved to form more analytical processes."

"It did seem very precise." Lightning agreed. "In any case, we need to find out more. If there is indeed a leak, we have to find it. And if it's because of something else, we need to find out that as well." Throwing her red scarf over her shoulder, Lightning pulled out her Gunblade and turned around. "Tell the President to bring the SOLDIERs and SeeD. If there are other beasts out there using the Mako reserves, we'll need all the extra help we can get. I rather not lost any more of my officers." The silver haired man instantly frowned at that, to involve the military must mean that this was pretty serious. But of course it was, Mako was extremely powerful. It practically gave average humans superhuman-like abilities and to think, what could that energy do to undomesticated animals such as megistotherians? Watching her go, Hope sighed and regarded Reno with thoughtful eyes.

"Tell me Reno, do you think Shinra has reinstituted his genetic testing? Or is it perhaps something more sinister that we have absolutely no knowledge of?"

"I'm not in the position to tell you that, Hope." Reno in turn replied, shaking his head. Reaching up to fumble with his goggles, the crimson haired man tensed slightly. "It's either there is a leak in the Mako reserves or there's some higher power out there manipulating them. I spoke to General Cetra the on the way here and he's concerned about the Farseers or at least Gran Pulse as a whole."

Tilting his head confusingly, Hope raised a brow. "Why would the Farseers have anything to do with this? They only rely on the sheep and the other grazing herds found in Gran Pulse. Although not much is known about them, I'm sure they're a harmonious group of people just like the rest of us."

"Sometimes I forget how young you really are." Reno said somewhat amusingly. "You weren't here during the times of the Zanarkand War. It was us against them and the Farseers were caught right in the middle of it, right in the crossfire. I wouldn't be surprised if they've harbored hatred for us all these years." Sighing, Reno rubbed the back of his head. "Of course we've tried to make amends but it's hard to fix something that you can't actually fix. They certainly have a motive to harm us."

"Lives can never be replaced." Hope agreed softly. "What if the Farseers were behind all this and we had to fight? We don't really know anything about them but would we win?"

"It's not a matter of win or lose, Hope." Looking up at the warm sky, Reno shook his head. "In the end, everyone loses. You can't have a war without losing something and right now, we can't afford to lose anything – not when we've already been through so much." Nodding his head in the direction of Lightning's retreating back, Hope followed his gaze to see Lightning walking towards the grassy hill that overlooked the vast area of Gran Pulse. "You see Hope, Lightning lost her mother and father in the war. I can't begin to tell you how many mothers, fathers, daughters and sons we all lost in this war. And I practically lost my children as well." The last part was said mostly to himself but when Hope didn't question him about it, he was grateful. "You've known loss, haven't you?"

"Of course." The younger man answered a little stiffly. "My mother died in that war as well." Thinking about to his mother's face, Hope felt sadness within his heart. She had been killed by one of Zanarkand's Abes during a surprise attack on Radiant Garden when he was still young. He could remember her fear-stricken face but the very next second, he remembered seeing her smiling. It was almost as if she was welcoming her death but he never understood why until he was older. She simply wanted him to live and he vowed he would never break that promise. His mother would live and she would do so through him.

Moving to place a comforting hand on Hope's shoulder, Reno nodded. "We might as well get started then, huh? Be it a leak or the Farseers, we'll solve this mystery. I'll alert the President right away while you stay to protect your Academy members. Lightning will be fine." And with an agreeing nod, both men went their separate ways if only just for a few minutes. They had a job to do and they would do it as commanded. They needed to get to the bottom of this as soon as possible and that was a given.

* * *

"What's going on?" Sora asked, his eyes darting form left to right as he and Roxas watched their dads moving about the house. The two boys were standing in the living room with bewildering expressions. "Are you and Dad going somewhere?" Leon glanced at him to signal that he heard his son's question but chose not to answer it just yet. Picking up his Gunblade, Leon slashed with it briefly before bringing it back behind him to snap around his torso. Likewise, Cloud was getting his Buster Sword out. "Dad, what's going on?" The brunet repeated.

"We've been asked to calm the area around Gran Pulse." Cloud explained briefly as he reached out with a gloved hand to pick up the keys to his Fenrir. "There's been a series of attacks lately and we've been ordered to go protect the area while Academia studies it some more. We shouldn't be gone long, maybe a day at the most." Spying his husband's Griever necklace, Cloud frowned quickly. 'That's a little odd, he never takes Griever off." Picking it up nimbly, he called to his husband. "Squall, here." Throwing it over to Leon and watching as the stoic man caught it, the blond returned his attention to his waiting sons. "Also, your Uncle Zack and Aunt Aerith are coming with us so they want you to pick up Yuna from her dance lessons in an hour. She'll be staying with you two since Cid will be accompanying us as well."

Roxas frowned. "What about Rikku? Who will be watching her?"

"She'll be fine." Leon cut in. "She has her brother with her."

Sharing a look with one another, Sora and Roxas blinked at one another curiously before raising a brow unison. "But Dad, aren't you guys retired? Why would they need you?" Just like their sons, Leon and Cloud shared a knowing look. From what Commander Farron had told them upon their mission briefing, their presence was greatly needed. Hell, even General Cetra was coming too. Not wanting to worry them however, Cloud reached out to ruffle his sons' hair.

"There's nothing wrong with wanting to help out a little." After checking that they had everything they needed, Leon and Cloud nodded at their boys. "We'll be back soon okay? Don't forget, pick Yuna up in exactly one hour." Saying goodbye to their boys, the two military warriors left, leaving their sons extremely confused as well as curious.

"What was that about?" Roxas found himself asking.

"I'm not sure. Weird, huh?"

"Yeah."

Both boys fell silent when Sora reached out to grab the keys to his and Roxas' Chimera. "Let's go for a drive while we wait. You think Riku, Xion, and Naminé are busy right now? We could go hang out by the fountain or something while we wait for Yunie's class to be over." Shrugging his shoulders but ultimately agreeing that he would go, Roxas and Sora locked the house and got into their car. Sora fumbled with the radio a bit as Roxas leaned back in his passenger's seat. "I hope Dad and Dad will be okay though."

"I'm sure they will be." The blond stated. "They're strong, remember?" And with that, no further words were said. Sora concentrated on his driving as he absentmindedly began tapping his fingers on the steering wheel. Roxas on the other hand was typing out a group message to their friends. Not even 10 minutes passed before Roxas spoke up. "Looks like Riku and Naminé are busy but Xion isn't. She's at home but she doesn't have a ride so I told her we'd pick her up." Sora nodded that he understood and looked over his shoulder quickly before signaling and getting in the left lane. Feeling his phone vibrate twice, he looked at the two messages he had just received. One was from Xion and another was surprisingly from Axel. Not wanting to arouse any suspicion from his older brother, Roxas opened Xion's message first, "Actually, Xion says her parents are gone so we could come over if we want. She says her brother is there as well as his friends but they shouldn't bother us."

"Sounds good." They drove for several more minutes before Sora pulled up to the curb and pressed downwards on the brake pedal. As Roxas undid his seatbelt, Sora pulled up the hand brake and shut off the car. Clicking on the locking mechanisms on his car keys, Sora stretched a bit. Pulling out his phone, he glanced at the time briefly before opening the door and getting out with Roxas mimicking him on the other side. "We can probably chill for about 45 minutes. After that, we have to get Yuna."

The two walked along the path leading to Xion's house and upon ringing the doorbell, they waiting for their friend to answer the door. Pausing slightly, a series of shouts were heard in the house before running footsteps came thundering towards them and the two brothers took a step back. "Hey!" Xion greeted, smiling like always once she threw open the door. "Thanks for coming!" Letting them inside, she told them where to put their shoes before beckoning them towards the stairs. "My brother and his friends are here but they should be in the basement so they won't bother us." Taking Sora and Roxas' hand in each other hers, she led them up the stairs. "You can always meet them though if you want." Having not seen her in a while, Sora immediately launched into a full-on conversation with her, wanting to know what she had been up to these last few weeks and how she was.

'I still haven't checked Axel's message.' Roxas suddenly remembered as he pulled out his phone. Swiping his thumb to unlock it, his eyes read from left to right quickly and that was when he frowned.

"_Come say hi, huh?" _

'What could he mean by that?' The blond wondered but before he could really think about the implications of Axel's message, he was forced to put his phone away. Xion had brought them to her room and out of respect, he pocketed it quickly, not at all wanting her to feel like she was boring him. The three teens sat on her large queen-size bed with Sora and Xion talking to each other animatedly. Roxas would cut in and add something every now and then but his thoughts were of course, elsewhere. 'Is he here or something?'

* * *

Author's Notes: And with that, I introduce to you, the plot line I've been waiting forever to write about. I had this idea in my head when I first began this story and I'm really excited that we're finally reaching that point. It makes you wonder, doesn't it? Is there really going to be a war? If so, how will it affect Sora, Riku, Zexion, Demyx, Cloud, Leon, and the others? And most importantly, Axel and Roxas? I wonder who's going to die and who isn't going to. Unedited? I THINK SO. More like I know so. I would get a beta but I wouldn't even know what to do. HAH. Until next time my loves!

P.S I have a huge girl crush on Lightning and Larxene. Yes indeedy do.

Read, review, fave, follow, and all that jazz please!


	14. 249 and a Half Days Left

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or its characters

Chapter: 14 "**249 and a Half Days Left**"

Author's Notes: Hey you beautiful people! Thank you to all those that read, reviewed, faved, and followed! I'm glad you guys are all liking the new plot that is coming into play. In regards to who's dying, I'm not quite sure yet hahaha. You shouldn't worry though, it's not like I would kill off a main character. I'm not that heartless but we'll just have to see! We've almost hit 10,000 hits and 110 follows! Thank you so much everyone! We're close to the 170 review mark too! I'm clapping for you all, thank you again!

There is also some speculation that the countdown of "Days Left" has to do with the war – nope, not at all :) If any of you read Sekai-ichi Hatsukoi, you might know. I got the idea from that after all! Until then, I will leave you all guessing. Another thing that was asked was how many chapters I'm going to make this story out to be and all I can say for now is that I don't know. I'm going to write as many chapters as I need to in order to get my story across. Yes, this story is rated M because of its crude and horrible language as well as for the eventual violent scenes later on. I don't write smut, sorry. I have an agreement with my boyfriend not to :)

My musical inspiration in for this chapter is brought to you by Glee, the show that I keep swearing to give up but will never be able to. I ship Puckleberry by the way but I also love Finchel post-high school. Actually, I love all Glee ships. Ugh. Shoot me please.

**I changed the summary and added a book cover. What do you guys think? Do you like it? Let me know in a PM or review please! :)**

* * *

Resting his head down upon his folded arms, Roxas looked at Xion with curious eyes. "So where are your parents right now, Xion?" The three friends were situated on her large queen size bed with all three of them laying down on their stomachs. Roxas was on the left while Sora was on the right and Xion was of course situated in between the two brothers. "Did they say where they were going?"

Humming in reply, Xion reached up to run her fingers through her raven bangs. "Yeah, Mom told me that she and Dad were needed in Gran Pulse and that they'd be back sometime tomorrow. They didn't tell me why they had to go and Zexion is too polite to ask so we're both in the dark about it." With Xion's attention diverted, she missed the strange look that Roxas and Sora gave each other. Xion's parents were needed there too? What was going on? Cupping her face into her hands, she began swaying her legs from left to right. "Mom is really good at reconnaissance and Dad is well, he's just good at everything. He's really strong." Mimicking Roxas, she folded her arms and rested her head on them. "Did you know my parents fought in the war too? Dad was a Turk at the time and Mom worked alongside your Dad, Cloud."

"Was she a SOLIDER too?" Sora asked.

Xion shook her head. "No, my mom's a ninja from Wutai back east. The military happened upon her and since she had the right skills, she fought too." Shifting uncomfortably, a sigh escaped her parted lips. "You know how some SOLDIERs are infused with the power of Mako?" At her question, Sora and Roxas could only nod. After all, their own father had been injected with Mako during his days as a SOLDIER. "My dad was actually the first person to be experimented on with the power of Mako. He told me and Zexion that a long time ago, he was a Turk working for Shinra's administrative research. He had this girlfriend at the time but after some sort of disagreement, she distanced herself from him and got together with the leading professor of that research team. A confrontation happened between all three of them and my dad was shot right in the chest by that researcher. I don't know why he did this, but that researcher then experimented on my dad's half-body and injected him with Mako as his own form of a sick, cruel experiment."

"But isn't Mako extremely powerful? Not many people can control it." Thinking back to what his father had told him, Roxas frowned. "Mako can either accept you or reject you completely."

The raven haired girl shrugged at that. "That's because the Mako that flows through my dad's veins is different than the one in yours. A while back, President Shinra and his team of researchers happened upon a Mako Reserve and after seeing its amazing potential, harvested it. Back then though, we didn't really know the correct amount of dosage to inject into them and people were really skeptic about experimenting on actual people. This was also around the time my dad was shot." Her eyes then grew extremely grim. "After the argument, that researcher defied all moral values and as an experiment to see how much Mako a person could handle, he injected my father with its raw power. Of course, since he had been injected by someone so crude and horrible, the Mako became tainted by the researcher's Chaos –"

Sora then nudged his shoulder with Xion. "Wait Xion, what's Chaos?"

"There are two forms of energy that apparently lies within all living things – Crystal and Chaos. If you want to be blunt about it, Crystal is the good inside us and the Chaos is the bad. We all have Crystal and Chaos within us but it's a matter if we choose to dwell upon it or not. Usually, in good people anyway, the Chaos inside lies dormant and the Crystal is what we see. In contrast to that, in a bad person, their Chaos is what we see and their Crystal is what's lying dormant inside them. Dad describes Chaos as being divine yet not touched by Etro's grace but rather, her demons. It's the source that drives people to madness and to become evil. You could even say that our criminals are driven by Chaos."

"So bad people have more Chaos than good people?"

"Something like that." Xion stated, nodding her head. "My dad's Mako is completely raw and tainted by Chaos, so his body changed to fit that description. Chaos is essentially divine, demonic and evil; he can't ever die, he's completely immortal. Due to that researcher's experiment, his whole body has become demonic and he's able to shapeshift and even transform. Over the years, Dad has learned to control the Chaos within him, but he's living proof that we can no longer depend on Mako as a failsafe to empower our SOLDIERs, at least by using raw Mako anyway."

Sitting up in Xion's bed, Roxas crossed his arms thoughtfully. "So after that incident with your dad, President Shinra ordered his geneticists to alter Mako so that it could help us and not hinder us? And that's why my dad hasn't become like yours?"

"In a sense, yeah. Your dad doesn't dwell within the Chaos but mine didn't have a choice. He was already half-dead so the researcher's Chaos overtook him completely – he didn't have a say in the matter. By the time that our SOLDIERs were injected with Mako, we had already found the correct usage. My dad wasn't so lucky in that aspect." Shaking her head again, Xion blew out a puff of air incredulously. "Why else do you think we stopped using Mako for our military?"

"I thought it was because Mako Poisoning was becoming more prevalent in our SOLIDERs." Reminiscing about the time Cloud had collapsed at home because of his poisoning, Sora frowned. Over on the other side of the bed, Roxas was doing the same. "Prolonged exposure to Mako in its concentrated form is dangerous to us humans. It left our dad catatonic for quite some time." It was honestly a dark memory from their childhood; seeing your beloved father so lifeless and unresponsive is something no child should ever see.

Turning over onto her back, Xion folded her hands behind her head and looked up at her white ceiling. "I'm sorry to hear that." Roxas and Sora eyed one another from the corner of their eyes before reaching over to take Xion's hands in theirs. Blinking in confusion, she sensed their own apology at what happened to her father and could only laugh. "Thanks, but it's really alright. My dad turned out okay! I mean, he has a wife and two kids – I'm sure he doesn't dwell in the Chaos too much. He's learned to control it too so he really is fine. Zexion and I love him so much and he's loves us and Mom just as much." Squeezing their hands briefly before letting them go, Xion smiled a radiant smile. "I'm sure both our parents will be fine."

The topic of discussion then shifted towards and before any of them knew it, their time was up. "Sorry Xion, we have to go pick up our cousin." Sora explained as a small frown made its way onto his face. "It was nice hanging out with you though! Thanks for having us over." The two brothers stood to their feet with a smiling Xion behind them. Roxas, itching to check his phone and text Axel back, grinned a little before following her down the stairs with Sora behind him. "Let's hang out again soon, huh?" Sora asked before encircling her in his arms in a typical friendly hug.

"I'm going to text Yuna real quick to let her know we're on our way." Pulling out his phone, the blond typed out a quick message to his younger cousin before pulling up his inbox. Seeing another unread message, Roxas opened it and frowned once he read through the message.

"_Maybe next time, I've got work_."

'That was almost 5 minutes ago.' Roxas thought. 'I just missed him.' Not exactly knowing why he was a little sadden by it, the blond sighed uncharacteristically and shrugged. 'I guess it can't be helped.' In all honesty, Roxas really couldn't say that he hated Axel anymore and likewise, Axel couldn't either. They didn't think about labels at all and they definitely didn't label one another as 'my-unfortunate-soul-mate'. It was more that they just considered each other as a possible and potential friend. It was almost as if they had forgotten they were soul mates; right now, they were just content being each other's friends or as they both like to put it, 'frenemies'. They didn't like each other and they certainly didn't love each other either – Axel and Roxas were simply in the transition of getting to know each other. Anything more than that was unwanted by both parties and _that _was something they both could agree on. As he and Sora said their goodbyes, they left Xion's residence and got into their car. Not wanting to give himself a reason to text Axel back, Roxas got into the driver's seat this time. Pushing away those thoughts, Roxas lowered the hand brake and began driving away. 'It can't be helped.' He repeated. 'It's not like I have to talk to the guy.'

* * *

Studying the various faces before him, Cloud's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. He stood alongside his fellow leaders with his hands folded behind his back in a standard military stance. Before him stood as many as 50 members of SOLDIER, SeeD, and Guardian Corps. They were all posed exactly like him with their backs absolutely straight and their hands folded behind their backs. Up at the front from left to right, it was him, Zack, General Cetra in the middle, Leon, and lastly, Lightning. "Listen up!" The General ordered, causing everyone to snap their heels to attention. "Every one of you will be led by these officers standing before you. You will listen to them and carry out their orders, do you understand me?"

SOLDIERs, SeeD, and Guardian Corp members alike saluted him immediately. "Sir!"

"You are not to venture out on your own and you must fight if the situation so calls for it! Are you prepared?" Once again, the military answered him with an affirmative cry. Taking a step forward, Sephiroth raised his right arm to gesture at Cloud and Zack. "My two most trusted SOLDIERs, Zack Fair and Cloud Strife." He then lowered it before repeating his actions with his left arm. "SeeD's leading mercenary Squall 'Leon' Leonhart and Commander Lightning Farron of the Guardian Corps." Bringing his arms to rest at his sides, the silver haired man furrowed his brows determinedly. "They will be your leading force in this mission! Trust them and you will live. Disobey that order and I'm afraid you may not come out of this ordeal alive." Folding his hands behind his back now, Sephiroth paced slowly back and forth. "We do not know the extent of what has happened. There is rumor of a leak in the Lifestream and we are here to protect Academia whilst they investigate it. As all if not most of you know, Mako is extremely powerful. With the possibility that the surrounding wildlife is consuming it, I urge you all to be constantly vigilant."

"Sir yes sir!" They roared in reply.

Lightning took a step forward and placed a hand on her hip as the wind picked up slightly. "I will lead Squad 1 to the Northern Highplain, Leon will take Squad 2 to the Southern Funnelway, General Cetra and Squad 3 will stay here in the Central Expanse while Cloud takes Squad 4 to the Western Benchland and Zack takes Squad 5 to the Eastern Tors." Wrapping her fingers around her Gunblade's hilt, she swung it in front of her and sliced the air. "Be on the lookout for anything suspicious and guard the Academia with your lives. I absolutely will not tolerate anything less than that."

"Sir!

"You heard her! Dispatch into your squads!" Leon shouted, startling all of the military personnel. They quickly followed the SeeD's orders, making their way towards their respected leaders and standing to attention. Each squad consisted of at least three of each of the different military branches. SOLDIERs, SeeD, and Guardian Corps alike joined together for this noble cause and they would do everything in their power to protect the members of Hope's Academy. The officers moved towards Hope, needing to discuss a bit more before heading out.

Cloud moved over to stand beside his husband as he crossed his arms somewhat impatiently. From the corner of his eyes, he watched as Zack left their side to exchange a few words with Aerith who was located further away. She had been helping the researchers gather their information as she had extensive knowledge of the plant-life around Gran Pulse. His blue eyes watched as she smiled at something Zack said and allowed herself to be embraced. Within the recesses of his mind, he could distinctly hear the excited beating of her heart and he couldn't but sigh a little. As if sensing Cloud's slight distress, Leon reached up and ruffled the blond spikes, murmuring gentle words that only the ex-SOLDIER could hear. And just like that, his feeling of sadness was lifted. How could he not love this man with all his heart? Standing straighter, the blond nodded at Leon who hummed contently and dropped his hand in response to Cloud's change in mood.

Sweeping his eyes from left to right, Hope studied the warriors briefly before nodding. Catching Lightning's eyes, he cleared his throat before speaking. "I want you all to pay particular attention to the megistotherians. We believe that was the species responsible for the most recent death of Commander Farron's officers and we have deduced that it has gotten its energy source from an active Mako reserve. They inhabit grass lands and usually be found fighting Behemoths. They're very territorial but are solo hunters. They're more likely to be in the Northern Highplain but there's a chance that they'll be found in the other locations as well such as the Eastern Tors." Reaching up to point at the com-link on his ear, Hope tapped it once. "We'll all be connected so if anything happens, radio in your position and back-up will arrive. I have Cid and Sazh patrolling the skies so when your eyes can't see any further, call for them and they will assist." His green eyes then flashed seriously. "Be vigilant." He said, repeating the very same words General Cetra had said only moments ago. "There's a chance that others species may have become infected as well."

Approaching footsteps from behind them made them turn around as Zack made his way over to them. "Yeah, Aerith says the environment has become incredibly active – even the plants have exhibited strange qualities. She says she wouldn't be surprised if some plants mutated because of this leak in the Lifestream and actually became monsters themselves." After conversing some more, Leon, Cloud, Hope, Lightning, Sephiroth, and Zack all nodded in unison. They all went to their respective squads, waiting for General Cetra's signal.

"Move out!"

* * *

Sora and Roxas were situated in the living room and were currently sitting on the large sectional couch. It was around 10:45 PM or so and the night sky was filled with an array of flashing stars. A whole day had passed since their parents as well as Xion's and Yuna's were called out to Gran Pulse and they honestly didn't know what to make of it. They had heard stories about the unknown land from their fathers and had learned some brief information about it in school but neither Sora nor Roxas knew anything concrete about it. It was a land of mystery, enough so that people even dubbed it '_Terra Incognita' _or "The Land of the Unknown". The brothers weren't worried though, their fathers were immensely strong.

The three had carried out their Thursday like normal – Sora and Roxas drove Yuna to her elementary school, went to their own school, served out the day, doubled back around to pick up Yuna when she was finished an hour later, and came back home. Their day was filled with homework and family time in which they all did homework together with both brothers helping her with the problems she didn't understand. They ordered take-out, watched T.V, hung out on the couch, and before any of them knew it, it was already 8:30 PM. With them being the eldest as well as her caretakers, Sora and Roxas sent Yuna to bed not long after. She was a polite girl and didn't argue, walking up to them and kissing them both on the cheeks gently before heading to the guest room they had set up for her. Although they themselves had a curfew of 10:00 PM, both Sora and Roxas didn't feel right going to bed without first seeing their dads.

Stretching out his stiff limbs, Sora groaned tiredly. "I am _so _glad Spring Break starts tomorrow!" Over on the other side of the couch, Roxas could help but nod in agreement. "It'll be so nice to be able to sleep in, even if it's just a little bit." He then grinned cheekily, "I don't even have practice! It can't get any better than this."

"Are you shitting me? Of course it can!" Roxas replied back with a laugh. "Did you forget? The Struggle Tournament is next week!" An annual tradition, the Struggle Tournament was held every year in Radiant Garden's main military sector, right in front of the Shinra towers. It was open to everyone, people from all three sectors could join in and participate in the fun. Like the other kids of Radiant Garden, Roxas and Sora never passed the opportunity to participate in the local tournament. Truth be told, they actually were the reigning champs. The deciding battle was always between the two and they were pretty much tied in wins; sometimes Sora would come out on top and sometimes Roxas would best him. After having been trained by Cloud and Leon all these years, the boys had developed superior fighting skills, even being able to predict their opponents' moves before they themselves could perform them. "It should be a pretty big turnout this year; I hear there's like 60 registered fighters!"

Kicking the blanket that he had draped around his legs, Sora surged to attention. "Are _you _shitting _me_!?" He cried back, using Roxas' words from moments ago. Excitement was beginning to swell up in his chest as he clenched his fists and pumped them up in the air. "I can't wait! This is going to be so crash!"

"I know! I can't wait either!"

"Do you know if Hayner and Seifer are fighting too? I wouldn't be surprised if they were! But then again, it's not like it matters!" Sora then threw his head back and laughed arrogantly with Roxas joining in soon after. They were boys after all, of course they'd be cocky sometimes. Extending his right arm out with Roxas doing the same, the two Strife-Leonhart brothers touched forearms, something they've been known to do, even when they were kids. "I think Riku said he might fight too now that I think about it."

Removing his arm so that he could cross both of them over his chest, Roxas raised a brow thoughtfully. "Oh wow, really? The tournament is sure to be interesting then. I'm sure General Cetra has trained him even more now too. There's absolutely no way he could have him for a father and _not_ be incredibly strong." In all actuality, Riku too was special – he too could also wield the Keyblade. Although they often sparred together, there were times that Roxas and Sora sparred with Riku too. He was more a calculating fighter, silent but always thinking. He fought one handed and was incredibly fast, but of course, not Roxas fast. "What made him want to fight this time? He didn't last year."

"His dad insisted." Sora explained. "'Said Riku should have some fun every once in a while." Roxas could help but laugh a little at that. When you had Sephiroth Cetra for a father, how could you not have fun? Riku practically had the whole world – what else could you get for someone who has everything? Chuckling alongside his younger brother, Sora rubbed the back of his head. "But yeah, they tourney should be pretty interesting this year." There was a pause before, "I'll see you in the finals?"

"Of course." Roxas replied back, smirking.

Shifting towards a topic about a possible training schedule, their attention was diverted if ever so slightly. So much so, that they almost missed the sound of the front doorknob jiggling. "It's Dad and Dad!" Sora cried out quickly as he and Roxas hurried to the front door. Although they practically sprinted for the door, they made sure to stay as quiet as possible so they wouldn't wake their sleeping cousin. Throwing open the door with the key probably still lodged inside the keyhole, the two boys grinned happily. Before them stood their fathers as well as their Uncle Zack and Aunt Aerith.

"Dad! Dad! Uncle Zack! Aunt Aerith!" The two boys called out in unison as they quickly stepped back to let their family in through the door. Although they had all been out in Gran Pulse for the majority of the two days, they looked almost exactly as they did when they left. Saved for the weariness in their eyes and stance, they looked perfectly safe and healthy. Wasn't Gran Pulse supposed to be filled with strange wildlife and beasts?

"What are you two still doing up?" Leon demanded softly, his words stern yet gentle at the same time. "You two are supposed to be in bed." As he got out of his shoes, Cloud, Zack, and Aerith were slowly beginning to do the same. When the boys explained that they had wanted to wait for his and Cloud's return, their ornery father grunted and ruffled their blond and brown locks respectively in his own form of thanks.

Cloud moved towards his sons and encircled his arms around them easily, hugging them tightly to his chest. "Thank you for waiting." He said quietly before pulling away. Smiling at their blond father, Sora and Roxas nodded. Leaning his large Buster Sword against the wall adjacent to the front door, Cloud cleared his throat slightly. "Did you put Yuna to bed?" Beside him, Leon was putting his Gunblade away as well.

"Yes sir, she's sleeping right now." Roxas obediently answered back.

At this, Zack instantly began making a move towards the hallway that led to their bedrooms. Catching Sora and Roxas' eyes quickly, he flashed them a tired smile. "Thank you again for taking care of her, boys." Giving their uncle a thumbs-up, they replied that it was nothing and they were glad to do so. Watching as Zack disappeared into the guest bedroom that Yuna was in, they turned towards Aerith who was speaking to Cloud and Leon in hushed whispers. She was quick however because no later than that, she moved towards them and kissed each of their foreheads.

"Thank you for taking care of Yuna." Aerith said again serenely as she smiled a mothering smile. Feeling their faces heat up, Sora and Roxas shared a look and shyly nodded. While it was true that Aerith wasn't their real mother, she was still the closest thing they had to one, with Tifa probably following as a close second. Every praising word that she uttered to them was enough to leave both Sora and Roxas feeling bashful.

"It was nothing Aunt Aerith, really. We were glad to!"

Caressing each of their cheeks, she pressed her lips tenderly against the tops of their head before pulling away. "We'd better start heading out too." Zack stated as he walked back into the living room with a sleeping Yuna tucked safely in his arms. He was balancing her on his hip with his arms around her protectively. She must have sensed her father's presence for she had her arms wrapped around his neck and was resting her head on his strong shoulder. Giving his nephews a grin, he nodded at Cloud and Leon. "See you guys tomorrow. Come on Aer, let's go." Nodding back or waving respectively, the Strife-Leonharts said their goodbyes to the Fairs and they watched as the front door closed with a soft click.

"Alright you two, time for bed." Leon said as he nudged his head in direction of the hallway. Bidding their two fathers goodnight, Roxas and Sora hugged them quickly around the waist before walking towards their rooms. Cloud and Leon followed in after them but when they saw the two not going in their rooms, they paused confusingly. "What is it?"

"Welcome home." Sora and Roxas said in unison. "We missed you."

Catching Cloud's eye, Leon chuckled. Ruffling their locks once again, he left their side and began making his way towards the bathroom he shared with his husband. Their blond father smiled back radiantly before doing the same; he ruffled their brown and blond locks affectionately before following after Leon and shutting the door behind him. Bidding each other goodnight, Roxas and Sora retired to their rooms as well. Although they all were located in different rooms, a simultaneous thought ran through the siblings' heads.

'I'm glad they're home.'

* * *

"Holy fuck today's shift was absolutely brutal." Axel groaned out as he tiredly collapsed onto his bed. For some reason, his store had been bombarded with customers and being as they were understaffed tonight, Axel had been in for one hell of a night. He ended up having to stay an hour later than he was scheduled which was actually pretty lame. "But then again, at least I'm getting paid overtime." It was very late into the night, maybe like 1:15 or something in the morning? He briefly remembered driving home, getting through the door, showering blindly, and all of a sudden, now found himself in his bed. Now when did that happen? His legs were aching due to all the standing he did today and he couldn't help but groan again in discomfort. "I swear to Etro, once I graduate, I'm going straight to the fire department and demanding a job." The logical side to his brain then proceeded to explain that his sleeping hours would probably get even worse and yet again, he groaned.

_Bzzt! Bzzt! Bzzt!_

Rolling over in bed, Axel cursed inwardly as he dove his head underneath his pillow. "When is that idiot going to give up!?" He cried out desperately. For the past hour or so, Demyx had been blowing up his phone asking him if he wanted to go out for drinks. Naturally, since he was still working, Axel kept his phone on silent and usually never knew when he got a call or text. The store he worked at also had the shittest phone service possible so even if he didn't put his phone on silent, it wasn't like he could connect long enough for the message or call to go through. Axel couldn't text back at the time, but damn, Demyx was persistent! "Seriously, when people don't reply, it's because we're either A) busy, B) Not in the mood to talk, or C) just don't like you." Honestly, all three options seemed plausible at the moment. When his phone vibrated once again, he slammed his fist against the night table beside him. "Leave me alone, dammit!"

Unlocking his phone quickly so he could give a Demyx a piece of his mind, he rolled over onto his back and peer at the phone closely. Reading over the Caller ID, he blinked. It wasn't Demyx at all, actually it was Roxas. "What the hell? Why did he text me? What is he doing texting at a time like that ? He's a kid, kids are supposed to be asleep!" Shaking his head, he swiped open the message with his thumb. "Sent at 12:20 AM." For the past week or so since he and Roxas had contacted one another, they had met a total of once and that was for coffee. Sure, they would text each other every now then, but this was strange. "I'm the one who initiates conversations, not him. What does he want?" The redhead wondered out loud. Since Roxas was his only ticket to talking to Kairi, of course he had to be overly forward with communicating with the younger boy.

"_Hey, you're off work now right?_"

Frowning, Axel immediately began to text out a reply. "**I had to stay overtime but yeah, what's up?" **He waited a few minutes before shrugging. "It's late, the kid's probably asleep." Stretching out his legs a little and groaning again at the aching feeling in them, he moved to place his phone on the night table when his phone started vibrated once again. "He's still awake?" The crimson haired man questioned to no one in particular.

"_Are you free next week?_"

"**It depends. What day?**"

"_This coming Monday_._" _

Pausing slightly, Axel began wracking his brain. "I have class that day but I should be done by the afternoon or so. And since I worked over the clock tonight, I don't think they would schedule me for Monday. If they did, they're a bunch of assholes." Texting Roxas a reply, the college student began humming softly. "**Yeah probably. Why?**"

"_The Struggle Tournament. Everyone will be there._"

Axel immediately snorted at that. "Why the hell should I care?" He voice out loud with a shake of his head. Upper-Sector matters such as that didn't concern him at all. As he began typing out a declining message to Roxas, his phone buzzed once again.

"_I want you to come_."

"What?" Feeling a bit taken back, Axel felt his breath hitch slightly. "What the hell? Why the hell does _he _want to see _me_?" In all honesty, Roxas had nothing to gain from his meetings with Axel. Sure, he'd get his good karma back, but seriously, he gained absolutely nothing. For Axel, he got gold – he got to talk to Kairi, the only person keeping him tied to this world. What could Roxas possibly hope to gain from this? Roxas was never forward when it came to communicating with him. The times that he and Axel met were always because Axel reached out to him first, it didn't go the other way around and hell, Axel was fine with that. It wasn't supposed to go the other way around for that matter. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he felt a rush of curiosity. "What are you planning, kid?" Shaking his wild mane of hair uncertainly, Axel typed out a reply. "**Sure, I'll come**."

"_Awesome, see you then_."

Staring at his phone thoughtfully, Axel frowned once again. "I don't get this kid at all." Plugging in his phone, he left it to charge and placed it on the night table. He got under the covers and crossed his arms behind his head as a makeshift pillow and gazed up at the white ceiling above him. Replaying the conversation he had just had with Roxas only moments ago, his brows furrowed a little. "What are you thinking, Roxas?" He wish he knew. When he couldn't figure out a logical explanation, Axel sighed and turned on his side. He laid there for several minutes as another thought suddenly occurred to him. "I got clocked another hour and Roxas didn't know that but yet, when I texted him an hour later, he still replied." He immediately frowned. "Was Roxas waiting for me?"

* * *

A pair of mako blue eyes opened groggily as Cloud slowly began to rouse awake. Rubbing at his tiredly, he was barely able to make out a silhouette sitting up beside him when he frowned. Leon was awake and it looked like he had been for quite some time now. With his feet over the edge of his side of the bed and his body facing the window, the lion had his back to his beloved wolf. Sitting up and ignoring how the blanket fell to reveal his bare chest, the blond inched forward and leaned against Leon's back. "Can't sleep?"

Bowing his head, Leon frowned also. "No."

Kissing the back of his husband's shoulder, Cloud encircled his arms around Leon's waist and rested his chin on Leon's left shoulder. While in the public eye, both Leon and Cloud were private about their affections for each other, they had no reason to hide it at home. Within the confines of their own room, they were even freer to act as they so felt. "You still thinking about today's mission?"

"How did you know?" Leon asked back as he chuckled amusingly.

"Because I know you." Cloud answered simply.

Shaking his head, the brunet reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose. Breathing easier, he exhaled slowly. "I can't believe we couldn't find the damn thing. After a whole day and a half of searching, not one of us found the megistotherian responsible for killing Lightning's officers." It was true. Despite all of their combined efforts, they couldn't find a single megistotherian. They searched high and low for it, sweeping across the entire Archylte Steppes from north to south and east to west.

"There are still many places we have to look. We still have to go out to the Faultwarrens, Mah'habara Subterra, Vallis Media, Yaschas Massif, and Sulyya Springs." Tightening his arms around Leon's waist, but not so much that it would hurt him, Cloud's voice lowered soothingly. "Don't look so defeated, Squall." Although he himself was concerned that they hadn't been able to locate the megistotherian, Cloud knew that in the end, they'd find it. Maybe not now, but soon.

"It's not so much that I feel like we failed, it's more than there's still so much we don't know. We weren't even able to recover the Mako Reserve, let alone the megistotherian." Dislodging himself from Cloud's embrace, the brunet turned around so that he was facing his husband. "Was Yuffie able to find anything?"

The ex-SOLDIER shook his head. "Not at all. She seemed distracted though, like there was something else on her mind. Actually, now that I think about it, Yuffie _and_ Vincent looked uneasy today. When I asked, they didn't seem to know why." Looking up to meet Leon's eyes, Cloud frowned. "But even I could feel the uneasiness in the air." Both men fell silent at that as they slowly began rewinding the events that occurred today. They both went their separate ways with their respective squads with Cloud venturing to the west and Leon patrolling the south. And they found absolutely _nothing_. "Hopefully tomorrow will yield better results."

Sighing tiredly, the brunet moved to lean back against the wooden headboard. As if sensing what Leon wanted, the blond immediately moved towards him. Allowing Cloud to curl up at his side, Leon wrapped his right around his lover's shoulder. "Be careful tomorrow, Cloud."

"You too, Squall. Watch yourself, alright?"

Both Cloud and Leon knew to do just that. After all, they had two sons as well as a whole nation to protect. Their sole reason for fighting was to protect the people and the world they loved. It didn't matter that they were technically retired, they would do everything in their power to ensure the safety of those around them. Shifting slightly so he now had his head resting on Leon's chiseled chest, Cloud closed his eyes tiredly. Listening to the steady beat of his lion's heart, the blond sighed softly and allowed it to lull him to sleep. Likewise, the comforting sound of Cloud's evened breathing enveloped Leon in a world of sleep and dreams.

* * *

Author's Notes: I quite liked this chapter! And I got it all written down fast! The next chapter deals with the Struggle Tournament as well as something else when I think of it! I feel bad for neglecting SoRiku and Zemyx – I feel like I need to write more of their moments. BUT THEN I REMEMBER HOW MUCH I LOVE CLEON AND AKUROKU AND I'M LIKE I CAN'T. In all seriousness, I need to step up my game. Hopefully I can write more of their interactions in the future. I got this out pretty fast I think, under a week, yeah? Go, me!

Read and review please!


	15. 245 Days Left

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or its characters

Chapter: 15 "**245 Days Left**"

Author's Notes: Hi beautiful people! Thank you to all those that read and reviewed! This chapter may seem like a filler but I assure you that it's very crucial to the plot later on since you'll need to know a little more about the people in this story. We've gotten 10k hits and 110 follows! Great! More good news, my boyfriend's getting his B.S on the 4th! I'm so proud of him! I am one happy girlfriend! If only I could fly in for his graduation though :( My finals are the following week so wahhhhh :(

I uploaded a oneshot titled Another You if you'd like to read it! Click on my profile page to read it! It's a short story in which Roxas gets sent back in time and meets Lea. Different name but same face and most importantly – the same person inside. It's really fluffy, like damn.

My musical inspirations for this chapter are Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts songs. Currently, I have Cloud Smiles playing on full blast. I just want to kiss you, Spikey. And ugh thanks a lot Sabrina, XigDem is starting to grow on me.

**WARNING: INCREDIBLY UNEDITED, WILL FIX TOMORROW MORNING. SORRY IN ADVANCE IF THINGS ARE REALLY FUCKED UP.**

* * *

"You can kiss that trophy 'goodbye', Chicken-wuss."

Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Roxas simply grunted as he continued to lace up his shoes. Once he was sure they were tight enough, he rose upwards from his crouching position and crossed his arms smugly. "What makes you so sure? If I recall from last year, you barely even touched me before I knocked you out of the ring." Looking past the glare Seifer sent his way, Roxas casually turned his attention to Seifer's left and right and when he saw nothing but empty spaces, he ultimately chuckled. "Where's the rest of your lackeys?"

"Look who's talking. What, did your loser-friends finally realize how lame you are and abandon you?" Seifer scoffed as he too crossed his arms. "Fuu and Rai are out looking for someone." Reaching up to brush his thumb against his nose, the scarred boy grunted. "Like I said before, you're not winning the tournament today, Lamer."

Raising a brow arrogantly, Roxas laughed sharply. "And what makes you so sure?"

"Because I have something to prove to someone." The blond stated simply. Giving Roxas another dirty look, Seifer grunted and jammed his fists into his pockets before walking away. The trail of his white outer coat billowed in the wind briefly and Roxas watched as Seifer got further and further away till he disappeared into the crowd of moving people. Waiting till he was sure Seifer was out of earshot, the blond allowed a grin to make its way onto his face.

"Excellent, just like I thought." It was all coming together now…

As he took one last look at where Seifer had walked off to, Roxas pivoted on his feet and began walking in the opposite direction towards the registration area. He and his family had arrived not too long ago but the Struggle Tournament was not scheduled to begin until quarter after 11:00. It was only 9:30 AM right now, still a long time to go. Spying his two fathers and brother off in the distance, Roxas hurried to meet up with them and once they noticed his presence, Sora waved. "Hey, did you find Hayner?"

"Nah, but I did find Seifer." Roxas replied back with a shake of his head. "He honestly thinks he's going to beat us this year. He must be tripping." Matching his younger brother's grin, Sora laughed arrogantly. "Yeah, that's what I thought too!" Sitting on the ground beside the brunet, Roxas nudged his shoulder with his. "Where's Alpha and Beta?" Laughing again at their nicknames for their fathers, Sora pointed in the direction of the fountain in the main plaza. Following Sora's finger, Roxas leaned over to get a better look and yup, Cloud and Leon were there finishing up the last of their sign-ups. Since their sons were still underage and considered minors, both parents needed to sign a series of documents as well as input Sora and Roxas' information and things of that nature.

"Did you see Riku?" Sora asked with a hopeful brow as he returned his attention back to his brother.

Catching a glimpse of silver, Roxas hummed in reply. "Yeah, he's right there. Looks like he, his brothers, and General Cetra just got here." Following Roxas' finger, Sora couldn't help but grin at the sight of Riku and his silver haired family by the registration booth. General Cetra and his eldest sons were conversing with Leon and Cloud while Riku was standing off to the side by himself, seemingly disinterested. Jumping to his feet, Sora extended his hand out to help Roxas up and once both boys were standing, they quickly made their way towards their friend. Noticing them quickly, Riku nodded his head.

"Hey."

"Riku!" Sora cried out with a happy grin. Placing a hand on the boy's strong shoulder, he squeezed at it amiably. "What's going on? You excited for the tournament?"

"I supposed so." Riku answered with a shrug of his shoulders. "Father thought it would be good for me to participate this year. He says the trophy would look nice in my room." Laughing at the silver haired teen's cockiness, Roxas flashed him a smirk to which Riku simply smirked back. Despite his uncaring attitude towards participating in the tournament, he would give it his all. He was the son of General Sephiroth Cetra for Etro's sake – he'd do his family proud. "Loz and Yazoo have a bet going on that I'll win the tournament in thirty seconds while Kadaj says I'll do it in forty seconds flat." Crossing his arms, Riku raised a brow arrogantly. "I say I do it in ten."

Mimicking his best friend, Sora crossed his arms and smirked with Roxas doing the very same beside him. A fire began burning in their hearts at the challenge. All three boys had been trained to fight ever since they were young boys and right now, their pride was on the line. They were all strong, they knew that. Sora was tactical, Roxas was fast, and Riku was cunning. They each had several strengths but of the three of them, who was the strongest? Who would be the one to win this tournament?

"Roxas! Sora!" Cloud and Leon called in unison, effectively causing the boys to abandon their staring contest with Riku. They looked towards their fathers quickly and jogged over to them, standing shoulder-to-shoulder. In the distance, they could hear General Cetra call for his son as well. At the moment, both families were located in somewhat close proximity. "They still need to set up the fighting area." Leon explained as he crossed his arms. "Your father and I wanted to know if you two wanted to walk around as a family for a bit."

"Sure!" Sora answered immediately.

Roxas grinned. "Let's do it!"

Smiling curtly, Leon and Cloud shared a quick look before nodding their heads in the direction of the various people setting up their shops and booths. Giving Riku a quick wave, to which Riku nodded back, the boys hurried to catch up to their fathers who were both walking away briskly. They formed a double-rowed line in which Sora and Roxas stood in the front and Cloud and Leon were situated in the back. The Struggle Tournament was always something to look forward to. It was a tournament that catered to all children under the age of eighteen and it was sponsored by President Shinra. A way to showcase the talent of the younger generation, the Struggle Tournament sought to empower the youths of Radiant Garden. It promoted a sense of unity and togetherness in the way that it was open to the all the residents, regardless of status and sector. It wasn't simply limited to those in the Upper-Sector. The title of Struggle Champion was in of itself the greatest of titles that could be bestowed upon a kid – it was practically the epitome of their young lives. Just imagine the bragging rights that came with being Struggle Champion!

Of course, any competitor who wanted the title of Struggle Champion had to firstly beat Roxas, the current Struggle Champion. In last year's tournament, he had managed to best his older brother in an upset that fueled the city's papers. Even Roxas himself had been surprised but he welcomed the win gladly. Although he lost, Sora congratulated him with a smile, like all good siblings did. They clasped hands in good sportsmanship with Sora swearing that he'd win next year. Roxas then laughed and responded that he'd like to see him try.

The Struggle Tournament always seemed to bring out the best in people; it gave them a reason to smile and laugh. Their cheers could be heard from miles and miles away, it was one of the main reasons to be in the Upper-Sector at this time. Even President Shinra took time out of his busy day to watch the tournament but then again, he did sponsor the whole thing. When people weren't helping with the tournament, the rest of the citizens would be setting up their food shops or small convenience carts. They would sell things like small trinkets or jewelry, things you'd usually find in a market square. All in all, the Struggle Tournament was in of itself, a festival of sorts. The Strife-Leonharts made their way along the line of shops when Roxas noticed a very familiar head of pink hair before him.

"Hey! Marluxia!" The blond shouted out as he quickly reached out to tap his tutor. The college student twirled around gracefully and once his blue eyes met Roxas', he smiled curtly. He was standing amongst a group of people that Roxas couldn't identify at the moment but that was okay, he really just wanted to say 'hi' to his friend.

"Hello Roxas." Marluxia greeted. Turning towards Leon and Cloud, he inclined his head in a polite bow. "Leon. Cloud." The military soldiers nodded back before resuming their conversation with Lightning and Hope. Looking over at Sora, he introduce himself quickly before raising his arm to begin introducing the people around him. He firstly pointed over to the young woman to his right. "This is Larxene, my girlfriend." Roxas and Sora blinked when they studied her. Larxene was a thin woman but she look positively intimidating. Her green eyes seemed to radiate electricity and they seemed to pulsate. Her hair was a golden blonde but what probably threw them off the most were the two antennae-like locks of hair she had that bounced with every movement she made.

Larxene nodded at them curtly. "Hi." Looking down at Roxas and Sora, she peered into their faces briefly before raising a thin brow. "You're Naminé's friends, aren't you? The ones from Radiant Academy?" Shifting her weight to her other foot, she crossed her arms. "She's always going on and on about you two. She's even got pictures of you in her sketchbook."

"Is Naminé here? Do you know where she is?"

The blonde shrugged indifferently. "Probably with Xion. Don't ask me, I wouldn't know." Roxas and Sora immediately frowned at that, did Naminé and her older sister not get along or something? Spying something out of the corner of her eyes, Larxene looped her arm with Marluxia's and pointed to something to their left. Tugging him with her gently, she flashed them a small smirk. "Later." Roxas watched them go with a confusing look but after a few seconds, he too shrugged. Oh well, at least he got to say 'hi' to his tutor like he wanted.

"Don't mind Larx." A gentle voice said kindly. Looking up, the boys saw that the woman that had just spoken had pink hair as well. She was a very pretty girl and didn't look much older than them. Her hair was tied in a side ponytail with the ends curling slightly. She smiled at them, her curly rose colored hair swaying a little. "I'm Serah. Marluxia's my older brother." Blushing at her sweet voice, Roxas and Sora grinned.

"Hi Serah." They both greeted genuinely.

Serah flashed them another radiant smile before shoving the man beside her with a stern expression. "Snow!" She chided. "Introduce yourself! Don't be rude!" Roxas and Sora blinked as they looked up at this 'Snow' character. He was absolutely _huge_! He must have been what, 6'8!? Despite his gigantic size, Snow looked relatively normal – blue eyes, blond hair, and an interesting chin-strap.

Finishing the last of his food, Snow grinned cheerily and slapped the boys on their backs. "Hey kiddos! I'm Snow Villiers! You two fighting in the tournament today?" Roxas and Sora glanced at one another quickly before surging forward and grinning back, excitement blooming in their chests.

"Yeah! We're going to win!" Sora stated confidently. Pointing a thumb over at Roxas, the brunet bounced forward once more. "Roxas is the current champ but I'll win this year for sure!" Seeing the fiery energy in the boys' eyes, Snow threw his head back and laughed, instantly taking a liking to these two boys. "Are you and Serah going to watch us fight?"

Flashing the boys a thumbs-up, Serah nodded. "Yep. My sister Lightning said to be on the lookout for you two. She's a friend of your fathers and was told to pay extra attention to your fights." Crossing her arms, Serah smiled. "From what your fathers tell her, you two should give us an interesting show." Their cheeks instantly reddened again; it was so nice to get such praise. And especially since they had just met Snow and Serah a few minutes ago, their praise felt _really _nice. Roxas opened his mouth to thank her when he heard Beta shout for him and Sora again.

Sora looked over at his blond father and saw him speaking to someone on his cellphone and bit his lower lip. "Sorry Serah, Snow. I think we have to get going." Pulling on Roxas' wristband, the brunet flashed them a grin. "But we'll see you in the crowd, right?" Once the couple promised them that they would, Roxas waved quickly before he and Sora broke out into a full-on sprint to catch up to their fathers. They walked for several minutes before stopping at the park by the registration booth where they had originally been. Cloud, while still on his phone, scanned the area quickly before spying something very familiar and ultimately smirking.

"There they are." Cloud stated as he quickly pocketed his phone and began walking forward. Not even bothering to check if his family was right behind him, the blond crossed the fountain quickly and smiled curtly at his old friends and war companions. Behind him, Leon, Sora, and Roxas paused in their walking, allowing the ex-SOLDIER to greet his old friends. "Well, isn't this a wonderful surprise." Cloud commented as he crossed his arms and leaned against Leon's right side. Not exactly knowing who all of these people were, Roxas and Sora pressed themselves up against Leon's back, peering around him curiously. The brunet smirked at his sons' actions as he raised an amused brow. Chuckling mentally, he reached down to ruffle their spiky locks.

Whirling around at the familiar voice, Yuffie whirled around and squealed. Abandoning Vincent's side if only for one moment, she sprinted forward and leaped upwards with her arms spread. As if knowing she would, Cloud opened his arms a little, catching her easily when she hugged him. "Spikey!" She called out affectionately. "I haven't seen you in years!" Whilst still in Cloud's arms, Yuffie pointed a finger at Leon, right at his nose. "And you! Where the hell have you been!?"

Laughing a little at Yuffie's antics, Cloud set her down gently before gesturing to his two sons. "Everyone, I'd like you to meet my sons, Sora and Roxas." Placing a hand on top both of his sons' heads, he rubbed at their hair. "Boys, this is your other extended family." Although still feeling timid from all the new faces, the two brothers grinned back and waved.

"Hi." They greeted simply.

Barret whistled at the sight of two boys, his mechanic arm shining brightly in the sun's warm light. "Damn Spikey, they look like you and Leon both. You sure you didn't pop them out?" Holding in a muffled laugh, Sora and Roxas quickly silenced themselves, not wanting to anger their blond father. They glanced at each other and almost lost it at the dancing mirth in each other's eyes. Above them, Cloud smiled tightly at his old friend's remark while Leon simply raised his eyebrows challengingly. Pointing his human arm at Cloud, Barret nudged the boys forward who follow suit, already taking a liking to the man. "Yo, if your pops pisses you off, don't be afraid to tell Ol' Barret, you got that?"

"Papa, stop picking on Cloud." A feminine voice huffed. Roxas and Sora glanced at Barret's side and raised their brows curiously, only just now noticing the tiny brunette beside him. Stepping out from his shadow, she walked forward and smiled at Cloud. "Don't worry Cloud, Marlene will keep Papa straight." Flashing her a genuine smile, the blond nodded back in thanks. "Hi there, my name is Marlene."

"Hi Marlene." Roxas greeted back, excited at the addition of a new younger cousin. Did she and Yuna know each other? They looked to be about the same age after all. The three conversed a bit before breaking away to stand by their respected fathers. Roxas paused and glanced up at the man that he logically deduced as Vincent. He was exactly as Xion described; black hair and red eyes. "You're Vincent, right? We're pretty good friends with your daughter, Xion."

Sora nodded. "Yeah. We've met Zexion too but only briefly." A man of little words, Vincent simply nodded, content that his daughter had gained more friends. He uttered a soft hello before returning his attention to Cloud and the rest of his old friends. Falling silent at Vincent's guarded behavior, Sora and Roxas glanced at one another confusingly. Their eyes sought out one another but it was the Sora who spoke first. "So he's the one, huh?" Knowing that Sora spoke of the Mako experiments, Roxas could only nod and mouth a soft 'Yeah'.

* * *

"Come _on_, Zexion!" Demyx groaned out as he hurriedly began navigating his way through the crowd of people. Behind him, the slate haired boy rolled his eyes and resisted the urge to growl in irritation. He and Demyx had been walking all over the tournament area for nearly an hour and a half and dammit, he was getting really tired of it. Ignoring the displeased aura that Zexion was giving off, Demyx reached out and grabbed onto the younger man's sleeve. "Don't give me that, Zexion. You know why we're doing this."

Shoving Demyx slightly, Zexion grunted. "Just because I know why we're doing this doesn't mean I agree that we should be doing this." Allowing an older woman to pass by him, he waited politely before resuming his following of the tall blond. "And don't you think that Axel is going to be mad that you're trying to spy on him like this?" Waving away Zexion's question, Demyx paused, using his superior height to look over the heads of the people in the crowd. "Seriously Demyx, this practically borderlines stalking."

"Give me a break." The musician replied back quickly as he resumed his brisk walking pace. "I'm only doing this because I'm his best friend. I'm merely checking out what his soul mate is like. When did he ever say that I couldn't?" Looking towards the registration booth, he scanned the area briefly before – "Motherfucker." He cursed irritably. Shaking his head again, he doubled back to look at Zexion. "Where is this kid?"

"You idiot!" Zexion shouted as he clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Do you even know what Roxas looks like?" The very second that Demyx processed Zexion's word, a blank expression made its way onto his face before he grinned sheepishly. Despite the innocent way in which his friend apologized, the younger man pinned him with an incredulous look. "Really, Demyx? You don't even know what Roxas looks like and yet you have the audacity to drag me all over this damn place? For Etro's sake, you should have told me that in the first place." Running a hand through his large fringe of hair, he sighed. "Alright, how about you follow me? I'll go find Xion; I'm sure she can help us track him down."

"But Zexion! We can't have anyone know what we're doing!" Still, Demyx latched onto his friend's arm and pointed out to nowhere in particular. "I say we start looking over there again first! There's no need to burden your doll of a sister!" With a cheery grin, Demyx pulled Zexion along for another escapade, not at all caring what Zexion had to say. And being the mature human being that he was, Zexion simply sighed once more and followed suit. He really couldn't argue against this guy – it'd just be a wasted effort. Walking along the shops this time, they looked all over for Roxas but when their search turned up negative, Demyx huffed once again. "The tournament is starting soon isn't it? Shouldn't he be around here?"

Flicking some non-existent dirt off his collared shirt, Zexion simply hummed in reply. "My guess is that he's preparing for the fights. You know, we could always just find a seat and watch him from there. Doesn't that seem like a more productive solution? You know, instead of walking around the whole damn sector blindly?" Looking up a little to focus his attention on Demyx's face, the slate haired boy crossed his arms. 'That way we'd be stationary too.' He added mentally.

Shrugging his shoulders, Demyx sighed too. "I guess so. I really wanted to see him in his natural state though, you know? Based on what my dad said, him and his brothers are really good kids. From what Axel told me though, he is far from it." Ruffling the back of his spiky head, the blond laughed genuinely. "Thanks for sticking around though, Zex. I owe you. Come on, let's go find a good seat. Where is your family sitting again? Next to Larxene's and Marluxia's?" Seeing his friend nod in reply caused the college student to grin once more. "Sounds good! Let's get going; people are starting to fill -."

An arm shot out and wrapped around Demyx's shoulders causing him to yelp in surprise. Whoever it was, he pulled Demyx back against him and clapped him on the shoulder. "Hey kiddo!" Looking up, the blond saw a glimpse of amber colored eyes before a blush flooded his cheeks. It was Xigbar, _great_. Bringing Demyx's head towards him, Xigbar leaned his against it and smirked. "You and your little friend fighting in the tournament today?"

'Idiot,' was the very first thing Zexion thought. Obviously he and Demyx weren't here to fight in the tournament. They weren't even eighteen anymore! For some reason, seeing this unknown man before him being so touchy-feely with Demyx made his blood boil. He hated how familiar he was being, it just didn't seem right. Who did this guy think he was? Looking over towards Demyx, the undergrad studied his friend intensely. The blush on his face was noticeable and while he did not understand why it was there, it irked him greatly. Demyx looked uncomfortable but at the same time relaxed. It was so oxymoronic that it just pissed him off even more. 'Who the hell is this guy?'

"We're too old for this thing." The blond explained quickly as he looked over at Zexion for help. He was split between wanting to get away from Xigbar's side and wanting to stay and what sucked was that he just couldn't figure out which one he wanted. He saw rage within Zexion's dark blue eyes and when he opened his mouth to speak, Xigbar cut him off by cuffing him around the shoulders again.

"My girl's fighting in the tournament." Xigbar stated, a proud smile on his face. "Be on the lookout for her, you hear me? She'll be winning the tournament for sure. She's with her mother at the moment signing in."

If it was even possible, Demyx blushed even harder. 'That's right.' He told himself. 'He's got a wife and kid.' Beginning to feel uncomfortable and disgusted with himself again, the blond tried to inch away. He hated this – he hated all of this. Xigbar was rightfully his and was his only chance at finding true love. Sure, he and Xigbar had just met but he was being so forward. Was Xigbar interested in him or something? 'I'm not so sure.' Looking up at his soul mate from the corner of his oceanic eyes, Demyx traced along the features of Xigbar's face. He was older, that much was certain. He had a scar that ran alongside his face and wore a mysterious patch over one eye. His raven hair was long and tied back but it was streaked with grey. The arm that was currently slung over his shoulder felt warm and comforting to the touch but when Demyx remembered that he shouldn't be thinking so, he made a weak attempt to pull away. 'Come to think of it, even though I've only seen him three times, I've only seen his wife once. Why wasn't she there with him when he was picking up their daughter, Paine?' Somewhere in the back of his mind, he hoped that that had meant Xigbar and his wife had some sort of marital problems but then – 'What am I doing? Am I really so horrible that I'm wishing something like that upon him?'

Goddess, he was a mess.

'He's unhappy.' Zexion observed. He had always been an intelligent person and was so detail-oriented that he couldn't help but notice the flicker of sadness in Demyx's eyes. Something within him swelled and for once, Zexion was at a loss. He was confused; what was that he had just felt just now? 'Demyx should never be unhappy, it just doesn't suit him.' Zexion absolutely _hated _this guy. Anyone who made Demyx unhappy didn't sit well with him, not at all. Ignoring Xigbar's attempts at communicating with Demyx, the slate haired man surged forward and grabbed onto Demyx firmly, his arm lodged around the older man's waist. "Xigbar, was it? You'll have to excuse us. We have somewhere to be." Without so much as a second thought, Zexion pulled Demyx towards him and away from Xigbar.

Chuckling at the predatory look in Zexion's eyes, Xigbar just shrugged his shoulders indifferently. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. Looks like I pissed off the keeper." Lifting a hand in a mock wave, Xigbar nodded his head. "Be seeing you around huh, kid?" Not wanting to be rude but not exactly wanting to acknowledge Xigbar's leave either, Demyx just nodded curtly. Xigbar left without silently but turned to look over his shoulder amongst his walking. His amber eyes connected cleanly with that of Zexion's and the undergrad was beyond enraged at the challengingly look in the old man's eyes.

'What the hell is this guy after?' He thought, tightening his grip around his friend. Zexion didn't like Xigbar, not one bit.

* * *

"Did you two make sure to stretch?" Cloud asked for about the thousandth time. At the moment, he, Sora, Roxas, and Leon were huddled together for one last family pep talk. When his sons looked at him passively and mumbled something incoherent, a muscle twitched in his jaw. "What was that?" He demanded, crossing his arms and raising a brow. Beside him, Leon was also sporting an unamused expression.

Correcting themselves quickly, Sora and Roxas were quick to shake their heads. They honestly didn't know that Cloud would hear them but they should have known better, their blond father had the sharpest hearing ever. They couldn't even begin to count the amount of times they had been caught sneaking out of the house by Cloud. Sure, Leon also had great hearing, but Cloud's was extreme. Nothing got past him. "Nothing, Beta." The two boys replied back in unison.

"We're going to be fine, Dad! Don't worry!" Sora said with a grin as he reached up to fold his arms behind his head. "We've been doing this for years now! Do you really need to worry so much?" His simple grin then extended into a full-blown grin when he caught Roxas' knowing glance. "Who do you think is going to win this year? Roxas or me?"

Reaching down to ruffle at Sora's brown locks, Leon grunted. "Probably Roxas." Smirking at his eldest son's outraged cry, the lion crossed his arms just as Cloud had done. "You've been slacking a little during our fights. I can tell you're starting to get sluggish. Roxas on the other hand seems to be getting more tactical, it almost seems like he's learned your fighting style."

Feeling the need to defend his older brother, Roxas shrugged. "I don't know about that, Alpha. Sora always manages to surprise us, don't forget that." Feeling his pocket vibrate, Roxas turned his attention downwards, leaving Sora to talk on his own. Tuning out their conversation as background noise, the blond pulled out his phone and looked at the message he had just received. 'It's from Axel.' He observed mentally. A curious brow rose as he hurried to unlock the message. Reading over the message quickly, his eyes grew wide and he sucked in a breath.

"_Sorry Roxas, I'm getting held up in lab."_

Two seconds later, another message popped up.

"_Don't think I'll be able to make it today_."

Roxas stilled as he began to register what Axel's message was saying. He couldn't believe it, Axel w_asn't _coming!? But he had to! 'What? No! That'll ruin everything!' Roxas practically screamed in his mind. 'He has to come! He just has to! It'll ruin everything if he doesn't come!' His thumbs became a blur as he hurried to type out a message. "**Wait Axel! The tournament goes on almost all day! Do you really think you can't come? Like not even later today?**"

"_I'm tied up Roxas, I'm sorry._"

Roxas was just about to send out another reply when his phone was unexpectedly snatched out of his hands by Sora. "Hey stop texting already. Let's get going; the tourney is starting." Tossing his phone as well as Roxas' over to Alpha and Beta so they could hold onto them, Sora grabbed onto Roxas' sleeve and pulled him along. "You're the first one to be introduced, remember? Since you're the champ, the MC needs you with him when he starts the tournament."

'Shit.' The blond violently cursed. 'I totally forgot.' If only he had been just a tad bit faster he could have texted Axel again. 'I really hope he can make it… Everything will go to shit if he doesn't make it.' He would probably lie if ever asked but hell, Roxas really needed Axel to come today. He needed to see this – he really did.

* * *

Author's Notes: Fuck, this does seem like a bit of a filler but I really wanted to introduce you guys to Barret, Yuffie, and Larxene, and all of them. There's obviously going to be more important characters later on but we'll see them as the story goes on. This is a two-parter again, the next chapter is where things kick off. It makes you wonder doesn't it? Why exactly does Roxas need Axel to come to the tournament?

My readers, if you could please just take time out of your day to write a review, that would make me really happy. It could be anything from comments or concerns or just anything else. I just really want to know if you guys are enjoying what I've been writing so far especially since a new plot line has been introduced. Reviews make me feel really happy and motivate me to write faster. I've had a chapter out almost every week now right for the past three or four? Yeah dawg. I'm getting back into a schedule (kind of). I'll be MIA in a couple weeks but ehhh finals are going to suck. Sorry to bother you guys, I'm just being a lamer. Anyway, read and review if you'd like. It'd be nice but have fun with it.

Toodles, see you next week.


	16. 245 and a Half Days Left

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or its characters

Chapter: 16 "**245 and a Half Days Left**"

Author's Notes: Hello beautiful people! Thank you to all that read, reviewed, faved, and followed! And for those that did review, thank you so much! We're so closed to 200! :) It really does help me feel good about this story. Like, I am confident in my writing, but if I ever do start feeling insecure sometimes about a chapter, it's nice to read reviews because I can always utilize that positive energy. Reviews really do make me happy!

Alrighty so since my finals are coming up (5/6-5/16), I wrote out this chapter and it is absolutely **LENGTHY **at about 10.2k or so and although I've definitely written chapters longer than that, I did it because I needed to get a lot done in this one chapter since half of the day was already used in the last chapter. I also did this because I won't be posting any chapters until after finals are over and quite possibly even a week after it's over for some R&R. It would mean so much to me guys if you took the time to review especially after this chapter because I worked really hard on this chapter in particular :) Also, summer is upon us which should give me more time to write. Even though I will still be taking classes over the summer, you can still expect (hopefully) weekly chapter updates. I'm going to try and finish CD by the end of the year, that's the goal anyway :D This chapter is most certainly unedited as I tried to read through it but almost fell asleep. I'm so sleepy today, it stinks.

**Honest opinion! Once CD is over, would you guys be interested in a prequel? A Cleon story concerning the Zanarkand War? Yeah? I'll do ittttttttttt!**

* * *

"Welcome everyone to Radiant Garden's annual Struggle Tournament!"

The audience cheered loudly at Zack's opening statement as they all rose to their feet to clap. The SOLDIER grinned and held up a hand to shield the offending sunlight as his mako blue eyes scanned the faces of the crowd. He saw nothing but happiness and excitement in them and he couldn't help but flash them all another wide grin. His well-trained eyes caught sight of Yuna and Aerith as they waved to him and he quickly flashed them a smile reserved only for them.

"As you all know, the Struggle Tournament is brought to you by our very own Rufus Shinra and as always, he'll be watching the tournament as it's been broadcasted throughout the city. Before we introduce our current champion, allow me to brief you on how we're doing things. We'll have three simultaneous fights going on at once and the fighters will be distributed to either Block A, B, or C. The remaining 10 fighters will then fight here on the main stage. Every win will bring you closer to becoming the champion." Clearing his throat slightly, Zack gestured at the competitors behind him. "If your opponent is knocked unconscious, knocked outside the ring, or is unable to remain standing for a maximum of ten seconds, you are declared the winner." Clapping a hand on Roxas' shoulder, Zack brought all attention towards him. "Let us welcome our current Struggle Champion, Roxas Strife-Leonhart!" Tuning out the cheers the audience gave him, Roxas waved somewhat distractedly as his mind was still focused on Axel. Not wanting to rouse any suspicion however, the blond put on his best grin and waved. "He's the guy to beat in today's tournament! What do you guys think? Will Roxas make this year a repeat? The crowd practically roared in encouragement and that was all Zack needed. "Alright then! Radiant Garden's Struggle Tournament starts now!" Whirling around to point at the platform behind him, he whistled appreciatively as each of the 60 competitors (excluding Roxas anyway) lined up to form a single-file line. "Give me Number 17, Zidane Tribal and Number 43, Tidus Jecht! You two are assigned to Block A!"

As the two boys came out from the line, they walked towards one another and shook hands, nodding at one another. Roxas watched with mild-interest as they traded a few words before ultimately grinning. He felt a tap on his shoulder and looked up at his uncle who was beckoning him closer. Making sure that the microphone was located far away from his mouth, Zack leaned in close. "Roxas, you see that kid there? Tidus? If you or Sora end up facing him in one of the rounds, make sure to kick his ass."

"Wait, why?" Roxas whispered back as he took a quick look at Tidus. The kid looked normal enough and heck, he looked like he wasn't any older than ten! Why the hell would Uncle Zack want him or Sora to thoroughly eliminate him? Zack held up a finger to silence him before pointing to his daughter in the crowd. She was now on her feet and was jumping up and down excitedly as she hurried to talk to her mother. Roxas frowned but raised a brow curiously. "Uncle Zack?"

"That kid is supposedly Yunie's soul mate and you know we can't be having that." He felt a pair of intense eyes staring hard at his back and he hurried to stand up straight. "Don't tell your aunt I said that." Zack replied back in a hushed voice after a couple of seconds. Glancing downwards at his nephew, he noticed the unamused expression on Roxas' face and flicked his forehead gently. "Don't give me that, Roxas. She's your cousin and she's only nine! Etro save me, I cannot have _that _talk with her just yet." Pushing the SOLDIER's face away when Zack tried to get close, Roxas shrugged, promising that he'd take care of it if he needed to. And if he didn't need to, he promised that he'd pass the message along to Sora.

Grinning victoriously, Zack patted him on the head gently before turning back to the fighters behind him. "Number 39, Penelo and Number 47, Noctis Lucis Caelum over at Block B!" A young blond girl and raven haired boy stepped out and walked towards one another. She was smiling as she extended her hand while he simply just nodded as he extended his. Their hands met and shook briefly before both moving towards their assigned fighting arena. "And last by not least, Number 11, Setzer and Number 28, Garnet are to fight at Block C!" When the fighters all got situated in their respective areas, the crowd cheered in anticipation. Throwing his microphone up into the air and then catching it a few seconds later, Zack pointed to the sky. "Fighters, begin!"

* * *

Almost two and a half hours had passed since the Struggle Tournament started and by now, the number of competitors had dwindled severely. Out of all the sixty hopeful fighters, only eight now remained: Sora, Roxas, Riku, Hayner, Seifer, Tidus, Paine, and Noctis. They all fought with such vigor and triumph, never once backing down in their fights. Ready to begin the Quarter-Finals, Zack took his place on the main stage once again and greeted his audience with a two-finger salute. "Welcome everyone to the Quarter-Finals! Before we begin though, I would like you all to turn your attention towards the very ground that I stand on. Whereas in the earlier rounds we utilized a Block organizational system in which to eliminate our fighters, we will now only be using this here main stage! As always, the same rules apply! Get knocked out of the ring or knocked out yourself or being downed for ten seconds yields you an elimination!" Stomping his foot down to prove his point, the raven haired SOLDIER smirked excitedly. "Now who's ready to meet our eight finalists?" The crowd roared in reply, cheering loudly. No doubt they could be heard all the way in Gran Pulse. They were all beyond excited; this where the real fun began! Sure, it was great seeing all the fighters fight, but this was the best part. The only fighters remaining were the best of the best and the people of Radiant Garden were sure to get an amazing show! Pivoting on his feet, Zack gestured behind him with a hand. "Number 43, Tidus Jecht!"

At Zack's call, the young and talented ten year old boy came running up towards the main stage. With a cheery grin, he waved with both arms as the people surrounding him cried eagerly. Of them was Yuna who quickly began waving back at her intended soul mate. Singling her out in the crowd, Tidus grinned at her and held up his hand in a thumbs-up. In front of him, the SOLDIER couldn't help but cover his eyes in embarrassment. Goddammit, this was his little girl! How could she already know her soul mate!? Zack's poor heart couldn't take it. Hiding a shaking and clenched fist, Zack growled irritably before beginning Tidus' introduction, he still had a job to do unfortunately. "A boy hailing from Zanarkand, Tidus has proved to be quite the contender in today's tournament! He is the son of a renowned Blitzball star and is here today to showcase his abilities and strengths!"

"Hi guys!" Tidus greeted. Placing his hands on his hips, he puffed his chest out and raised his chin. "I'm going to the win the tourney for Yunie!" The last part of Tidus' sentence nearly sent Zack in a fit of disorientation and hysterics as he practically stumbled. Feeling his heart stop in his chest, he looked towards his daughter who was blushing madly at her soul mate. Silently and in an almost pleading way, the raven haired SOLDIER looked towards his wife who met his gaze unappreciatively and he practically flinched. Although it was true that Aerith was a kind-hearted and gentle person, she was not one to be trifled with when she was unamused and right now, she was definitely unamused.

'_**Don't you dare embarrass Yuna, this is her first crush**_.' Her eyes warned dangerously and Zack would have laughed at the predatory glint in her eyes if they weren't directed at him. Rubbing his temples, Zack sighed before putting on his best grin. Now would probably be a good time to move on.

"Number 6, Paine Freeshooter!" A solemn girl with grey eyes and strange red irises walked up to the stage slowly. Although the crowd cheered for her, she passively stood her ground beside Tidus as if she wasn't interested in all that was happening around her. She did however turn to look at her father who was grinning at her. Her smile was small and tight but it was reserved for him and only him, she'd definitely win for him. "Paine here is the daughter of our very own Xigbar Freeshooter! Another one of the fighters in the 'Under-10-years-old-category', she has wowed us all with her strength and thirst for victory!" Paine gave everyone a mock wave before crossing her arms.

From amongst the spectators in the crowd, Demyx inched forward and watched her movements closely. 'So this is Xigbar's daughter? She's certainly a lot more reserved than he is, that's for sure.' His oceanic eyes traced along the curvature of her face and while she still had the baby fat that most kids did at her age, she was most definitely her father's daughter. 'She looks totally like him. If it weren't for her red eyes, she'd look exactly like him.' Sweeping his attention along the crowd, he scanned for Xigbar's face. 'Where is he? He's probably sitting beside his wife, right?' While at their first meeting, he did indeed see Xigbar's wife, he never really had a good look at her. 'I wonder what she looks like.' He felt Zexion shift beside him but ignored it in favor of locating the Freeshooter family. Demyx searched for several minutes before cursing mentally. 'Damn, there are so many people here!' He just couldn't find him among the faces of the crowd. The blond crossed his arms as he leaned back in his chair. 'Oh well, maybe next time.'

Back on the main stage, Zack grinned as he continued his introductions. "Number 15, Riku Cetra!" If it was possible for the crowd to get any louder, they practically exploded once the silver haired teen took to the stage. Always the calm and cool individual, Riku stood with his hands in his pockets and a smirk on his face. Dressed in nothing but a pair of baggy pants and a zipped-up sleeveless black shirt with his family's insignia on it, Riku looked stunning. Immediately drawing on the attention that the crowd gave him, he raised his eyebrows amusingly as they cheered for him. "Although he's a newcomer in our Struggle Tournament, Riku here is no stranger to fighting. He and my nephews have trained together for years and while he has never made an appearance here at the tournament, it was under General Cetra's wishes that he participated today!" In the crowd, Sephiroth nodded proudly at his youngest son. Due to his constant work as a high-ranking SOLDIER and overall General to the military, Sephiroth's time with his sons was extremely limited, more so for Riku. Despite all that however, he was incredibly proud of the man Riku had become. Clapping alongside the citizens of Radiant Garden, the Cetra family cheered for him loudly.

Clapping a hand on Riku's shoulder, Zack grinned at the teen briefly before holding the microphone up to his lips again. "Moving on! Give me Number 31, Sora Strife-Leonhart!" Running up the stairs to the stage, Sora had on the most radiant of smiles as he waved for everyone. Coming to a halt by Zack's other side, the brunet reached up to fold his arms behind his head. "We all know Sora, he was our runner up last year but has held the title of Struggle Champion many times before! My nephew as well as the son of my best friend, Sora is here to make his fathers, Cloud Strife and Squall Leonhart proud!" Using the hand that was on Riku's shoulder to ruffle at Sora's spiky brown locks, Zack leaned his head against that of his nephew before shifting his eyes to look over at Riku. "These two have been best friends all their lives and have been there for each other ever since I could remember. Who here thinks they'll face each other in the tournament?" As the crowd answered his question with affirmative cheers, Sora and Riku glanced at one another.

'Best friends or soul mates?' They both thought in unison. They had been best friends for years and loved each other with all their heart but in a platonic and brotherly sense. How could they have known that they would be destined to be? Sure, Sora knew that he could defy his fate like his fathers did, but if he did that, would that mean Riku wouldn't be his anymore? He hated to even think of it. Just that week alone when he and Riku hadn't spoken practically drove him mad. Sora missed him, he missed him _bad_. Likewise, Riku hadn't fared any better. They needed each other and wasn't ashamed to admit that but how long could this go on for? Both Sora _and _Riku abhorred the possibility of sharing their lives with other people as it was obvious that they both got uneasy when they weren't close to one another but what did that mean for them then? Did it mean they loved each other like _that?_ They was no way to know for sure but it's not like they were inclined to even try either.

Still, both boys could not deny how much they really and _truly _needed one another.

And that was absolutely frightening.

To need someone _so_ much that they're unable to function without them…

It was scary.

But then again, perhaps being alone was even more terrifying.

Looking away but sporting their best expressions, Sora and Riku nodded at the crowd. For now, they would leave behind those thoughts. This was not a time to be reflecting on one another after all. Maybe when this was over, they could talk and approach the subject. Would that day ever come though? With a mental sigh, they turned their attention back towards Zack who had almost finished announcing everyone. Amongst their thinking, they hadn't even noticed that Zack had introduced Hayner, Noctis, and Seifer. The brunet glanced behind him as the SOLDIER clenched an excited fist. "Alright, alright! Let's go, Number 13!" Everyone knew that number; the crowd jumped to their feet as Zack answered their call. "Let's show some love for the current Struggle Champion, Roxas Strife-Leonhart!" Laughing a little at the cheers and applause, Roxas came up on the main stage and walked forward till he was standing in between Sora and Riku. "Sora's younger brother, Roxas, has shown time and time again that he can hold his own in a fight against him." Wrapping his arms around them both, Zack grinned at his nephews. "Will these two brothers face each other once again in the final round? Or will it be Riku? Or perhaps these newcomers Paine and Tidus?"

Leon and Cloud sported proud smiles as they watched their sons up on the main stage. These boys were absolutely everything to them; their sun, moon, and stars if you will. Both men had seen blood and war during their days as a SOLDIER and SeeD in the military. They had seen things and done things that normal human beings typically shouldn't but they were content with their lives and it was because of Sora and Roxas. Cloud and Leon had stumbled upon the boys in a ruined part of Radiant Garden and were immediately drawn to them, it was almost as if Etro used her divine powers to bring them together. They were a family and loved one another. Both boy idolized their fathers and gave them a reason to smile. Their boys grew up and matured like kids usually did; it was absolutely beautiful. When they had first found the abandoned the boys, their eyes were so sullen and dull that Leon and Cloud feared for the worst. Thank Etro that they found them that day because now, Sora and Roxas were strong and healthy. For a parent, that's all they needed. Rising to their feet, the two warriors shared a fond look before clapping with everyone else for their sons.

Pushing his uncle gently, Roxas stole the microphone from Zack's hand and smirked. "Enough of this dawdling, Uncle Zack! Let's start this!"

Grinning from ear-to-ear, Zack clenched a fist and punched the air above him. "You heard the man! The Quarter-Finals begins now!" Fueled by the audience's cheers and cries, the eight finalists lined up together in a single-file line. They waited patiently as Zack and the rest of the Struggle committee conversed briefly. They randomly matched up the fighters and it was as follows: Sora and Paine, Noctis and Tidus, Riku and Hayner, and lastly, Roxas and Seifer. As per tournament rules, since he was the current champion, Roxas could determine the order of people fighting. "What do you say, Roxas? Who will fight first?"

Pausing to look around him, Roxas' sky blue raked along the faces of his fellow competitors. They looked eager and that was all the encouragement Roxas needed. "Riku and Hayner will going to start us off followed by Noctis and Tidus. After they fight, Sora and Paine will take to the stage." The blond that furrowed his brows as he and Seifer locked gazes. "Seifer and I will be the last ones to fight."

And with that, the Quarter-Finals officially started.

The fights progressed as planned and ultimately, Riku, Sora, and Tidus were the victors in their fights. They watched from the sidelines as Roxas and Seifer made their way up to the main stage. Both blonds were silent as they trudged along and once they stopped right at the center, their blue eyes locked. Roxas studied Seifer intensely, his brows furrowing a little. 'Now Seifer, where is she? Where's Kairi?' Watching for the slightest tilt of the head or raising of his fist, Roxas' eyes were like a hawk. At the moment though, Seifer was simply staring him down.

"You're going down this time, Chicken-Wuss." Seifer promised as he slowly raised his right arm to point his Struggle Bat at Roxas. Allowing an arrogant smirk to lace his lips, the younger boy raised his eyebrows challengingly. "You can count on that, I'm winning this tournament. I've got my girl watching me in the crowd." Although his words were confident, they did not deter Roxas away from seeing the obvious blush on Seifer's face. How _cute_.

"Oh really? Show me."

Seifer turned to his right side, his eyes immediately finding that of Kairi's. Roxas followed his gaze and cheered silently. His lips were turned down in a frown but his eyes shined with excitement, she really was here! Perfect! Kairi was standing over by herself and looked as lively as ever. She must have been so happy at being able to go out since her parents always kept her on strict surveillance. Catching his eyes, the auburn haired girl smiled radiantly at Roxas and waved. Thinking Kairi's actions were reserved for him, Seifer reddened his cheeks once again before brushing a thumb over his nose. "Let's get this over with, Chicken-Wuss. Don't get too attached to your trophy there."

Holding his Struggle Bat with both of his hands, Roxas crouched down eagerly. Absentmindedly, he could hear his uncle beginning the preliminary introductions and commentary about him and Seifer so he took a moment for himself. Scanning the many faces of the crowd, his eyes searched for a head of wild flaming hair. Even though the stands were completely filled with people, Roxas knew he'd find Axel if he came. 'It'd be hard not to see him, especially with his height and hair color.' He looked and looked but after a minute or so, he frowned somewhat in defeat. 'Oh shit, he really couldn't make it.' Glancing over at Kairi quickly, his grip over his Struggle Bat tightened. 'I need him to see her though! Shit, what should I do?' Suddenly a bell chimed and Seifer immediately rushed towards him with his Struggle Bat raised to the sky. Roxas cursed mentally as he quickly dodged the attack with his own Struggle Bat. 'Axel's not here yet!'

Upon seeing Roxas go on the defensive, something Roxas has _never _be known to do, Seifer smirked. "What's the matter, Roxas?" He sneered as he quickly jumped away to point at Roxas with his Bat. Not exactly giving the younger boy a chance to answer, Seifer surged forward once again and brought his arm back, intending on hitting the boy across the chest. As if knowing he'd do so, Roxas crouched down lowly and propelled himself off the ground, effectively jumping over Seifer's incoming attack.

'That's it!' Roxas suddenly cried. 'If I can just distract him long enough for Axel to get here, this can still work!' Evading another one of Seifer's attack, Roxas allowed himself to get away once again. Over on the sidelines, Riku and Sora were frowning. What on the hell was Roxas doing? Likewise over in the crowd, Leon and Cloud were watching their son with curious eyes; Roxas repeatedly kept dodging Seifer and putting distance between them.

What was going on here? Roxas _never _did this.

* * *

'I'm cutting in real close.' Axel thought to himself mentally as he checked the time on his car's dashboard for about the thirteenth time. He had just gotten out of his Physics II lab and was in the process of pulling out of the Radiant Garden University parking lot. Checking the intersection for any incoming cars, he signaled and once he made sure that it was safe to do so, he drove away. 'Let's hope I get there in time to see one of his fights.' His mind drifted to the text Roxas had sent him as curiosity swelled within his mind. Tapping on the steering wheel absentmindedly, he hummed thoughtfully. 'He sounded upset, that's for sure.' A part of him wanted to know why Roxas sounded upset but Axel knew he'd rather die that ask him himself. Lapsing into an uncomfortable silence, his emerald green eyes looked towards the clock once again. 'It's already 2:47? Shit.' Putting more pressure on the gas pedal, Axel began driving at a more brisk place. RGU was located in the Middle-Sector but it was still a good 15 minute drive, and that was in moderate traffic. Feeling as though he was going to miss seeing Roxas in the tournament, his palms began to sweat. The redhead noticed of course and that's what sucked. 'Dammit, why am I getting so worked up over this?'

He and Roxas weren't friends.

They really weren't.

'I honestly can't label what we are.' Axel stated. 'We're just two unfortunate soul mates that don't want that kind of life. We're not friends, but we're certainly not mortal enemies either. Sure, in a way, we could be both, but that's not a legitimate way to label a relationship.' The crimson haired man then cringed. 'Relationship? Where the hell did that come from?' The grip he had on his car's steering wheel suddenly became a lot tighter as he visibly stiffened. 'That's the wrong word for it, maybe like a partnership? Oh _fuck_, not that either.' He really was getting worked up over this kid, goddammit. Resting his left elbow on the windowsill of his car so that he could lean his temple against it, Axel slowed his car to a stop since the traffic light turned red. 'And why the hell does he want me to come so bad? He knows how much I hate being in the Upper-Sector! There's nothing there but shit and more shit!" Grumbling under his breath, he checked his side mirror quickly before changing lanes once the light went green.

He drove for several more minutes until he finally got to the Upper-Sector. Parking around the back where he knew most people wouldn't be, he got out of the car and locked it. Axel checked the clock on his phone before cursing under his breath, he really needed to get moving. Turning his attention towards the direction where the main plaza area was, he began walking at a brisk pace, not quite running but not quite walking either. He had one hand on his phone while the other one was jammed inside his pocket. Axel turned the corner and raised his brows impressively. 'Holy shit balls.'

The place was entirely _packed_.

Radiant Garden's main plaza was completely overrun with people and their cheers were loud enough to possibly deafen him. But of course, he was only exaggerating, he fucked women that screamed louder than that. Chuckling a little at his own little joke, Axel began walking towards the crowd of people. 'Sure, good going idiot.' He berated himself. 'Cracking jokes doesn't deter away from how much I hate it here.' As he got closer and closer to the stands, his eyes looked towards the Shinra Towers that rose high into the sky. Scoffing under his breath, Axel shook his head and kept on trudging along. As he politely navigated his way through the crowd, his superior height allowed him to see the main stage with ease. 'Hopefully I haven't missed him yet.' Shoving his hands into the pockets of his pants, Axel looked towards the stage. What he then saw confused him beyond relief.

Roxas was on the defensive and was losing.

'He dragged me out all the way here to watch him _lose?_ What the hell? Who does that?' Watching as Roxas deflected another one of his opponent's attacks, Axel shifted his weight over to his other foot. 'I don't get this kid. What am I supposed to be seeing exactly?' The crimson haired man thought back to the text that Roxas had sent him and hummed thoughtfully. 'Why did you ask me to come here today, Roxas?' His emerald green orbs followed Roxas' movements carefully, trying to piece together the puzzle that was Roxas' thought process. 'What am I supposed to be seeing?' As if hearing the unanswered question, Roxas turned to look right at Axel. Their eyes locked and Axel winced inwardly, trying to will away the exhilaration he felt. Once he felt that he was ready, he looked back at Roxas and noticed how the blond kept shifting his eyes to his left. 'What, Roxas?' Following his eye movements, Axel turned his attention towards it. He caught sight of something red and his throat turned so dry that no amount of water could possibly fix it.

Kairi was right there. _Right there!_

Without a single care, Axel immediately began pushing his way through the crowd. Whereas last time he was polite as he maneuvered his way around, he practically shoved everyone in his path. He ignored their irritate cries and calls, his eyes never leaving Kairi's face. 'Kairi!' He screamed mentally as his lips slowly curved into a smile. Goddess, she was so close! Although he started off briskly walking, Axel was now sprinting his way over to her; he couldn't wait any longer, he had to see her! Extending his arm out, Axel reached out to Kairi and as if sensing his presence, said girl turned towards him and uttered a cry. Emerald green met oceanic blue and just like that, they were together again. Wrapping his long arms around her waist, he pulled his sister towards him and burrowed his face in the curve of his neck, trying to fight back the tears.

"Axel!" Kairi cried, hugging him tightly. While he himself held back the tears, she allowed herself to cry freely. Both Axel and Kairi hadn't seen one another in over a _month _but their time apart didn't cause them to drift apart, if anything, it just proved how important they were to one another. "Oh my Goddess, Axel, I can't believe it!" Pulling away so she could look up at him, she tearfully smiled. "You're here! You're really here!" As the two siblings reveled in their reunion, all thoughts that didn't involve them disappeared. Seifer became a distant thought to Kairi and likewise, Axel barely even remembered needing to watch Roxas. Perhaps this is what the boy wanted though? Maybe he had planned this all along so both Axel and Kairi could be together.

Seeing the commotion in the corner of his eyes, Roxas allowed himself to truly smile for the first time today. 'You're welcome, Axel.' Satisfied that he accomplished his mission in bringing Axel to his younger sister, Roxas smirked as he stood up completely straight. Twirling his Struggle Bat before allowing it to rest on his shoulder as his brunet father would do, the high school raised his brows challengingly. "That's enough of that, don't you think?" Sprinting forward and moving like lightning, Roxas disappeared in a blink of an eye. Disoriented and confused, Seifer held up his Struggle Bat in front of him. The scarred teen growled as his eyes darted about – he wouldn't lose this fight, not with Kairi watching! Almost simultaneously, Cloud, Leon, Sora, and Riku all smirked knowingly.

That's the Roxas they knew and loved.

"Nice try but you're finished!" Reappearing back in front of Seifer, Roxas gripped his Struggle Bat tightly and swung it upwards, upper-cutting Seifer right on the chin and sending him rocketing upwards. Seifer grunted at the hit as he suddenly found himself feeling light-headed. Landing with a thud several feet away from Roxas, the scarred boy panted tiredly as he tried to will away the pain. He couldn't lose! Not with Kairi watching! Cursing loudly, Seifer made a shaky attempt to get to his feet and propped himself up with his Struggle Bat as Zack started the count down. "Give it up, Seifer." Roxas said with an obvious smirk on his feet. "You've lost."

Before Seifer could come back with his own response, a bright and fiery light flashed beside them, ultimately causing both boys to turn their attention towards it confusingly. Suddenly, the air around them began to grow hot and that was when it happened, a loud bang thundered throughout Radiant Garden. Something exploded! Reacting quickly but still ultimately in shock, Roxas dove towards Seifer and hooked his arm around Seifer's waist. The older blond then proceeded to wrap his own arm around Roxas' shoulder as he allowed his rival to help him to his feet. The crowd was in an uproar as more and more explosions began to detonate around them. Groaning painfully due to the hit Roxas had inflicted on him, Seifer panted tiredly. "Roxas, what the hell's going on!?" His question was drowned by another bomb that exploded next to them. By now, almost the entire main plaza was engulfed in flames and burning fire. The people of the crowd screamed and shouted as they raced to get away, ultimately pushing and shoving others in their attempts to get away. Coughing as he inhaled smoke into his lungs, Roxas' eyes began to water as the air pressure and density began to feel heavier.

Although both boys couldn't see anything, all they could hear was utter _panic _and_ chaos_.

Deafening screams cut through the air in an almost disturbing way. Goddess, it sounded like a w_arzone_. Their cries were pained and filled with such anguish that even Roxas himself was at a loss for words. "Uncle Zack!" Roxas shouted out before breaking to a fit of coughs. "Uncle Zack, where are you!?" Knowing that the SOLDIER had to be close due to his job as the announcer, Roxas desperately called for him. "Uncle Zack!" A hand protruded out from the smoke and gripped his shoulder hard, causing him to yelp in surprise. Recognizing the touch however, the blond relaxed considerably. "Uncle Zack, what's going on!? What's happening!?"

"Roxas, Seifer, cover your mouths and noses!" Zack instructed sharply as he shouted over the screams of the scrambling audience. "Do not inhale the smoke, you hear me!?" Hurrying to do just that, Seifer and Roxas glanced at one another nervously, just what the hell was going on here? "Stick close to me and do _not _let go of my arm, do you understand that!?" Roxas shouted back an affirmative reply as he quickly latched onto Zack's left arm. Looking back quickly to make sure he still had a good hold on Seifer, Roxas nodded at Zack to indicate that they were ready. "Alright, stick close to me!" Expertly maneuvering his way out of the smoke, the raven haired SOLDIER led them off the main stage. By then, the smoke had finally begun to clear but explosions and screams could still be heard in the distance. Ducking down, Zack surveyed the area quickly before ushering the two down behind him. Looking around them, Roxas and Seifer were horrified to see a mass of blood-soaked people as they screamed in agony. Lifeless bodies littered the streets as their injured loved ones huddled close by, grief-stricken. Various SOLDIERS, SeeD, and Guardian Corp hurried and ran about as they either defended the citizens or helped escort the injured to safety. 'Oh Goddess, where's Aerith and Yuna!?' The most awful of feelings swelled within him at the thought of either of them hurt. 'I have to find them! I have to find them!' As he made a move to continue on, his ears picked up the sound of more anguished screams.

"Colonel Fair!" General Cetra shouted from further away and causing Zack to look towards him. Struggling to hold the weight of his unconscious sons, Yazoo and Loz, Sephiroth growled in obvious frustration. "Monsters from Gran Pulse have invaded the city! We must protect Radiant Garden!" Swearing loudly, the raven haired SOLDIER reached behind him to unfasten his Buster Sword. Zack was completely overcome with anxiety; how could he protect the people of Radiant Garden when he himself couldn't even find his own family!? "Roxas!" Sephiroth called. "Get to the underground compound in the main Shinra Tower and take Loz and Yazoo with you! Riku and Kadaj should be there!"

Understanding quickly, Roxas nodded. "Yes sir, General Cetra!" Looking towards Seifer, their eyes met determinedly. Shrugging out of his earlier pains, Seifer and Roxas ran forward to get Yazoo and Loz. Although the older silver haired siblings were much heavier than them, both Roxas and Seifer didn't complain, there was no time to. "Be careful!" Roxas told them gravely before turning back to Seifer. "Come on, Seifer!" The two blonds then preceded to walk as fast as they could towards the tower when suddenly, a realization hit Roxas. '_Sora! _Where's Sora!?' With so many things going on at once, he completely forgot about his older brother. "Seifer, I have find to find Sora!"

Grunting under his breath as he dragged Loz behind him, Seifer glared at him fiercely. "Don't be an idiot, Roxas! We're under fucking attack unless you didn't notice! The General gave us an order to get to the compound!" Before Roxas could open his mouth to harshly reply back, the older blond silenced him with a growl. "Sora's probably with Riku!"

'Goddess, I certainly hope so.' Roxas pleaded silently as fear erupted inside him. He didn't even want to _think_ about the possibility of Sora getting caught in the explosion. He honestly thought he might die from the heartbreak. 'Please be okay, Sora.' The two trudged along when something made them stop dead in their tracks. A spherical _something_ levitated in front of them but what made their blood run cold was the fact that this _thing _had a pair of eyes, arms, and a mouth. It looked like a hot ball of gas, almost like that of a fireball, with bright yellow eyes. Its grin was jagged and menacing looking – and holy shit, were those _teeth_!? Probably the most horrifying thing about it was that it was honestly staring straight back at Roxas as if it was some sort of intelligent organism. "What the fuck is that!?"

At Roxas' question, it immediately began to grow in size, getting bigger and bigger with every passing second. Its golden eyes glared back hatefully at Roxas as its rage began to build up causing it to increase even more in size. "Roxas, move!" A voice ordered out sharply. Immediately recognizing it as his father, Cloud, Roxas jerked Seifer to the side and together they dove to the ground with Yazoo and Loz tumbling beside them. A large Buster Sword wrapped in bandages came slashing downwards at the fireball-thing and Cloud swung his sword once again to destroy it. It disintegrated upon impact but it seemed that more floating explosives took its place. The three new fireballs hovered before them, increasing in size and rage once again at the sight of their brethren destroyed. Standing protectively in front of Roxas and Seifer when they stood to their feet with Yazoo and Loz, Cloud gripped the hilt of his Buster Sword tightly. "Roxas, are you and Seifer alright?"

Looking down at himself and then at Seifer, the high school student nodded. If only for a few cuts and scratches and bruises, he and Seifer were relatively fine. "We're fine! Yazoo and Loz are the ones that need help! General Cetra said for us to take them to the compound underneath Shinra's towers and for us to hide out there!" Nodding back to indicate that he understood, Cloud glanced over his shoulder, sensing the incoming presence of Leon. The SeeD Mercenary came running towards them, flanked on both sides by Zell Dincht and Irvine Kinneas, his two closet friends and fellow SeeD members. "Leon! Leon, I found Roxas and Seifer!"

Coming to a stop before them, Leon held his Gunblade up and centered it before quickly shooting down the three strange Fireballs. He shot them down with ease before reaching towards Roxas, his eyes roaming over his son's frame for any serious injuries. Before he could even ask, Roxas beat him right to it.

"Dad! Dad, where's Sora!?"

"We don't know! We can't find him either!" Spying another Fireball coming towards them, Leon signaled for Irvine to shoot it down with his gun. Placing a hand on Roxas' shoulder, Leon gripped it tightly. "Your father and I will find him, but right now, you and Seifer need to get to the compound! We'll handle it!" Leon turned towards his fellow SeeD members and pointed towards the unconscious Cetra boys. "Irvine, Zell! Get these two to the compound!"

"You got it, Squall!" Zell immediately replied as he and Irvine hurried forward to take Loz and Yazoo from Seifer and Roxas. Zell hooked Yazoo's arm around his shoulder and wrapped his own around Yazoo's waist while the sharpshooter was doing the same with Loz. Offering to help, Seifer reached up to support Irvine since Loz was so large. They held onto them securely and nodded to indicate that they were ready to move. "Come on, let's get going!" The tattooed man shouted. Leon and Cloud nodded at one another before ushering Seifer and Roxas forward.

"Go with them!" Cloud ordered. "We'll be with you shortly!"

Seifer was situated in between Irvine and Zell and was in the process of moving when he saw movement out of the corner of his eyes. His eyes grew wide in shock and he quickly pointed a finger at the five Fireballs that were hurdling towards them. "Colonel Strife! There's more incoming!"

Whirling around, Cloud watched with horrified eyes as the Fireballs came diving towards Roxas. Paralyzed by fear, the younger blond remained exactly where he was as his eyes grew wide and his pupils began to dilate. Roxas knew he had to run but that's just the thing, he _couldn't_. He began to shake as the Fireballs got closer and closer; even the shouts from his fathers seemed distant. Was he going to die? Being the one closest to his son, Cloud crossed over to him in four quick strides, reaching out towards him. Seeing as how the enlarged Fireballs were getting even closer to his family, fear struck in Leon's heart. Since he had been helping Irvine, Seifer, and Zell move the unconscious Cetra brothers, he had failed to realize how exactly far away Cloud and Roxas were to him. Leaving his friends' side, Leon came running towards them, his feet moving on their own accord.

And just like that, it seemed like time began to slow.

Covering Roxas with his entire body, Cloud took his son into his arms and shielded him from the incoming explosions. Tensing his muscles, the ex-SOLDIER pressed Roxas into the ground, trying to form a defensive wall so Roxas would be better protected. He would never forgive himself if something bad happened to him or Sora. He'd give his life for them in a heartbeat – he didn't even have to think about it. And likewise, Leon was the very same way; both men would give their lives for their sons. 'Roxas…!' Cloud cried out inaudibly. Cloud didn't know what it was but _something _began stirring in his body. This foreign feeling enveloped him completely, spreading through his chest and immediately centering along the muscles in his back. He felt a burning sensation at his shoulder-blades and Cloud grunted out in obvious pain and discomfort. 'I have to protect my son!'

Watching as the explosive Fireballs got within firing range, Leon ran even faster but it was too late, they exploded right in front of him. Holding his arms out to shield himself from the flying debris, Leon struggled to see through the smoke that broke out from the explosion. The entire area was enclosed in flames and Leon feared for the worst. "_Cloud! Roxas!_" Leon screamed in alarm, a horrible tightening sensation enveloped him completely.

_Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!_

The sound of the explosions thundered throughout the air and Cloud clutched onto Roxas tightly. By now, the pain in his back began to worsen and with a cry, he felt something rip out of his right shoulder-blade. A black and demonic wing protruded from his back and stretched out, its thin tendrils curling amongst the smoke. '_What!?_' His back was practically on fire and Cloud couldn't help but grit his teeth in response. Flexing the strange mutation experimentally, Cloud willed it determinedly; he knew he had more things to worry about than this strange wing. It flexed as he moved it and although it was painful to move, the ex-SOLDIER manipulated it so it curled over his right side. Using it as another protective force against the explosions, Cloud inclined his head. Feeling weakened by the burning sensations in his back, Cloud struggled to look at Roxas. "Roxas!" He called out, his voice coming out in hushed whispers, almost as if he lacked the strength to even speak loudly.

The blond underneath him slowly opened his eyes and he looked weakly at his father. Feeling immensely overwhelmed by all that was going on right now, he couldn't help but clutch at the fabric of Cloud's clothes. "Dad, I'm scared." He admitted openly. Murmuring that he understood, Cloud reached up to smooth down his son's unruly blond spikes.

"I know, Roxas. It'll be okay, you'll be fine." Looking over his shoulder as the smoke cleared up, he was relieved to see Leon and the rest of his SeeD mercenaries surrounding them as they combatted more Bombs. Tucking his wing against his back so that it laid curled up and ultimately covered by his billowing cloak, Cloud stood to his feet and picked up his son. Allowing Roxas to rest on his back, Cloud hooked his arms underneath Roxas' legs in a piggy-back position. He listened for the steady sound of Roxas' breathing and looked towards his husband. "Leon!"

At the sound of Cloud's voice, Leon immediately turned towards him. "Cloud! Roxas!" Rushing over to them, Leon placed a hand on his husband's arm and looked for any injuries. "Are you two alright? Those things exploded before I go the chance to –" Silencing him with a quick kiss, Cloud nodded.

"We need to get to the compound."

Without another word, the military personnel nodded in understanding. They all immediately ran towards the towers with Leon providing cover for them all. If more Bombs came towards them, Leon would silence them with a direct shot with his Gunblade or swipe of his blade. In quick sprints, they safely made it to the compound, breathing and panting hard. "We made it." Zell gasped out as he tiredly set the fallen silver haired man to the ground with Irvine doing the same.

The underground compound was a heavily guarded fort that presently acted as a bomb shelter. Thank Etro they had all managed to get here safely. Bending down a little so Roxas could slide to the floor, Cloud checked his son for any serious injuries. Leon took one last look at them before turning his attention to the other people that had managed to get to the compound. Various wounded citizens were all sprawled out in different sections of the compound and that was when he felt a pair of arms wrap around his waist. "Alpha!" Sora cried out as he launched himself onto his brunet father.

"Sora!" Leon called back as he sunk down to his knees and hugged his son. Goddess, he had been absolutely terrified. Both he and Cloud hadn't heard from their eldest son in the hours that the explosions had occurred and it was absolutely awful. They prayed to Her, asking that she keep him safe and thankfully she did. Further away, Cloud and Roxas breathed a sigh of relief. "Are you alright!?" Leon demanded as he too began checking for Sora's injuries. Saved for a few bruises and cuts alongside his arm, Sora looked fine. "How did you know to come here?"

Pulling away so he could look into his father's cobalt blues, Sora frowned. "It was Riku. Riku brought me here." Pausing to turn around, the brunet nudged his head in the direction that his best friend was at. Leon followed his son's gaze and felt his heart go out to the silver haired teen. He was currently slumped over against the wall over on the other side of the room with a medic that was currently tending to his injuries. He looked incredibly worse for wear; his face was cut along the cheek, his arms bore scratches and bruises, and his sleeveless shirt had been torn at the hem. Letting go of Sora, Leon walked over to Riku and crouched down lowly.

Riku hadn't moved but when he felt someone's hand on his shoulder, he looked up. "Thank you, Riku. You saved Sora's life." When the younger boy didn't respond, Leon frowned once more. Leaning down a little more, he studied Riku's eyes, only just now noticing the haziness within those turquoise eyes. Whereas before, they looked calm and reserved, now they reeked of dullness and sadness. Tightening the grip he had on Riku's shoulder a little, the brunet brushed his thumb against Riku's bare shoulder. "What's wrong, Riku?"

The medic turned to him and frowned sadly. She bowed her head a little before looking away. "Riku's been blinded. He can no longer see." Pulling back in shock, Leon gasped a little before turning back to said boy. The silver haired teen inclined his head, hiding his eyes in the shadow of his bangs. Over on the other side of the room, a tear fell from the corner of Sora's eyes.

'He got hurt protecting me…Oh Goddess Riku, I'm so sorry.'

* * *

General Sephiroth Cetra cleared his throat as all eyes turned to him. Nearly six or seven hours had passed since Radiant Garden had been attacked and by now, everyone that survived was in the underground compound beneath Shinra Inc.'s towers. The citizens were all crowded together and the silver haired man frowned at the sight of so many injured people. While it was true that he was a SOLDIER and had seen enough lifeless corpses to last him a lifetime, nothing could have prepared him for today. "During the chaos of today, we have unfortunately suffered many losses. I know that it is difficult to stand when someone you love has left but I urge you all to keep them in your hearts. You must live for them and carry out their wishes on your behalf." Looking over at his youngest son, Sephiroth's eyes turned grim. "Although at this very moment, we do not how this attack occurred, I promise you all that we will find out who did this. We will find the unforgivable person responsible for taking away your loved ones as well as my son's sight." Walking forward a bit, Sephiroth clasped his hands behind his back. "Reno Gongaga of the Turks has informed me that an unknown man had performed an assassination attempt on President Rufus Shinra's life during the chaotic events of today. Thankfully, he did not succeed."

Coming to a stand beside Sephiroth, Cloud looked gravely upon the faces of the people before him. "We have hid the President for his own safety and in his absence, leadership for this city will be temporarily given to General Cetra as well as Squall Leonhart of the SeeD Mercenaries." Taking in a deep breath, Cloud furrowed his brows, focusing on everyone. "We suspect that we may have been attacked by the monsters of Gran Pulse." The audience immediately began to murmur at that and hushed whispers began to fill the compound. "These fireball-bomb-like entities are not of this natural world." The blond ex-SOLDIER stated, effectively causing the audience to grow silent. Knowing that he couldn't hide this particular bit of information any longer due to the threat of city-wide security, Cloud's face turned solemn. "They are practically living explosives that explode as their rage builds up. Although we do not know the extent of this mutation, I promise you that we will find out as soon as possible. For now, I ask that you all stay here in the compound where it is safe." Lifting a hand to gesture at Lightning who was situated with her family, Cloud nodded. "Commander Farron and the rest of the Guardian Corps will stay here to protect you. Myself, Academia, SOLDIER, as well as SeeD, will go out to find the source of this chaos."

"We must ensure the safety of the public." Leon added as he came to a halt beside his husband. "For that, it is imperative that you all stay here. We will arrange for necessities such as food and water but I advise you not leave this building. Chances are whatever occurred here today may happen once again." His blue eyes then grew hard. "If the situation calls for it and we must confront these unknown terrorists or monsters, we will call upon those that can fight." Amongst the crowd, Sora and Roxas shared a look.

Would they also be pulled into this?

* * *

It was now around 11:15 at night and most people were asleep. Hundreds upon thousands of people laid sprawled around within the area of the compound and thankfully, the compound was large enough to accommodate them all. Originally built to house battalions of infantry, the underground compound boasted ample space and necessities such as food, water, and facilities such as bathrooms and washrooms. At the moment, most people were asleep as the events of today had tired them out immensely. Some had welcome sleep due to fatigue but some cried themselves to sleep at the loss of their loved ones. The air was heavy and it was tense – whoever did this would sure made their mark.

The Strife-Leonhart family huddled close together until Sora broke away to move towards Riku who still hadn't said a word to anyone. Roxas on the other hand had left to go to the bathroom and was now in the process of coming back into the main compound room where everyone slept. His footsteps were nimble and quiet as he did not want to wake anyone up. Most but not all people were asleep, either haunted by the demons of today or just willing themselves to stay awake to avoid seeing those demons in their dreams. Rubbing at his newly bandaged arm, Roxas looked towards his fathers who were silently watching everyone sleep. They looked weary and tired but refused to sleep. They stood together with their hands clasped tightly together in an almost fearful kind of way but Roxas didn't blame them, he was scared too.

So much chaos had happened today that it was difficult to really put it into words.

'I feel so scatterbrained.' Roxas sighed out mentally as he continued to tip-toe towards his fathers. 'I can't think at all right now.' He was scared for his life as well as the life of his family and friends. He hadn't seen Hayner or Olette or Pence or anyone other than Riku and Sora. Granted, he knew they were safe, but the fact he couldn't say the same for his friends produced an ugly feeling in his stomach. Once he made it to their spot, he stood in between his two fathers and slid down to the ground before leaning against the side Cloud's legs. 'And what about Kairi, Naminé, and Xion? Did they make it?' Pulling his knees to his chest and wrapping his arms around them, Roxas clutched at the fabric of his pants. 'Is Axel okay?' Goddess, he really hope so. Despite their history, he definitely didn't want him dead. He wouldn't wish that on anyone.

As if sensing Roxas' stress, Cloud sunk down beside his son and nodded for Leon to do the same. Both men leaned against their son as their eyes fluttered close tiredly. Roxas felt their arms come around him and he responded by bowing his head in thanks. 'I know I've been asking this all day but really, what the hell's going on? What's happening?' His question was left unanswered but maybe somewhere up in Valhalla, Etro was watching.

And hopefully, she'd answered his plea and help.

Over on the right side of the room, Sora watched his family sleep with fond eyes before turning to look back at Riku. 'He still won't talk to me.' Ever since Riku had gotten the news that he could no longer see, Riku hadn't said a single word to him. Sora had tried over and over again to coax him into talking but the older boy was stubborn and didn't say a word. The brunet's sky blue eyes focused on the black blindfold that Riku now had over his eyes and he couldn't help but feel his heart clench a little at the sight. 'He's like this because of me.'

When the first explosion happened, Riku had grabbed him purely out of reflect and shielded him with his body. He protected him but as more explosions began to happen, he dragged Sora to his feet so they could run towards the compound that his father always talked about. Despite Sora's screams for his younger brother, Riku kept going, trusting that Roxas would be okay and would find his way to them as soon as he could. They were running towards the compound when more of those living Fireballs turned up. Diving to the ground with his body on top of Sora's, Riku held his best friend close and weathered the explosions. However, since his back was turned, it left him completely open to get hit. With his attention diverted, Riku had failed to see the iron bar that came down on him and slammed against the back of his skull. It hurt like hell but fueled by the adrenaline in his veins, Riku got back on his feet and brought Sora towards the towers. The only thing running through his mind was to protect Sora. Get Sora to the compound. Keep Sora safe. _Protect Sora!_ His vision was hazy and was slowly beginning to darken but in all honesty, Riku had thought it was because of the smoke and his fatigue. How could he have known it was because he was slowly becoming blind?

When the medic told him of his state, he felt like his whole world came crashing down. What could he do without his sight? Riku felt utterly useless – the son of the General unable to see? How pitiful; people would laugh at him, they'd look down on his lack of sight. He prayed to the Goddess that it was only temporary but who was he kidding? Right now, he was a blind man.

'He hates me.' Sora stated mentally as he fisted his hands in his lap. 'He must hate me so much.' How could Riku not hate him right now? Because of him, Riku could no longer see. In an almost timid fashion, the brunet reached out to place a hand on Riku's shoulder.

Riku flinched almost instantly.

Pulling his hand back, Sora willed away the tears that threatened to fall. The thought of Riku hating him practically broke his heart. Placing a hand on his rapidly beating chest, Sora felt absolutely sick to his stomach. Riku was hurt and upset and it was all his fault. Not even caring about the risk he was possibly putting himself in, Sora surged forward and threw his arms around Riku's neck, hugging him tightly. Tucking his nose against Riku's collarbone, Sora cried softly. "Riku, I'm so sorry!" He whispered out. "It should have been me! Goddess, I'm so sorry!"

The silver haired teen felt wetness against his skin and frowned. "No." He replied back simply. "I'm glad you're unhurt."

"What are you talking about?" Sora hiccupped against his neck. "It's because of me that you're like this!"

"It if it was between me and you Sora, it should be always be me."

"How can you say that? Riku, you're _blind!_"

Idiot, Riku knew that much on his own. Still, he reached up to wrap his arms around Sora. Pulling the boy into his lap, Riku hugged his best friend tightly. "You're my best friend, Sora. We've always had each other's backs." His arms then tightened but not so much that it would hurt him. Inclining his head a little so his lips were mere inches away from Sora's ear, Riku hummed. "But you're also my soul mate. We're bonded together for life. Do you really think I'd let anything happen to you?" His voice suddenly sounded pain. "Goddess, I'd rather die than have you get hurt on my behalf."

Pulling away a little so that he could look at his best friend, Sora shook his head. "Don't go anywhere that I can't follow." Without saying any more, the brunet hugged him once again. 'I don't think I'd want to live in a world where Riku isn't there with me.' A part of him wondered if he loved Riku like that now but another part of him rationalized that he was just reacting to the stress of what happened today. The tender way in which Riku held him however made him change his thought almost completely, 'Maybe we really were meant to be.'

* * *

Author's notes: Helloooooo! I clocked this at about 10,000 words which is an all-time high for this story. Yay! There's SoRiku! I hope you guys like this chapter! I've set up the premise for the war now, did you all enjoy it? I had a hard time with this chapter but I'm glad I got it finished. Please review, fave, and follow! It'd be a nice surprise to come back to once my finals are over. Hoo-ah my sophomore year of college is coming to a close and I cannot wait! Also, I didn't talk much about Axel and Kairi after the ruckus of the attack; huh, I wonder why. HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM.

Until next time good lookins! See you in 2-ish weeks!


	17. 243 Days Left

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or its characters!

Chapter: 17 "**243 Days Left**"

Author's Notes: Hello my beautiful bbys! Thank you to all those that read and reviewed the last chapter! I know I said I wouldn't be posting any chapters until after my finals were over but I couldn't help myself. I really loved what I wrote here hahaha. I watched Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children again last night and all I can say is that I absolutely love the story. I should play it again.

The prequel for CD is in the works; I wrote up part of the first chapter and it is marvelous. Though it won't be going live for another year or so.

* * *

Cloud stared hard at his reflection as he inclined his head in a disapproving manner. He wore nothing but his usual baggy dark pants and as his eyes swept along the various scars on his abdominals, he frowned at the memories he was forced to conjure up. It had been such a dark time for both him as well as the others that fought in the war; he had killed hundreds of men on behalf of his city. These marks on his body only served as a reminder of that. The hands he had by his side curled into fists and with a sigh, he turned around and looked over his shoulder. Although it was true that Cloud's abdominals were littered in scars, it was actually his back that took the blunt of it all – they were scars absolutely _everywhere_.

It was an ugly thing to see really, even Cloud felt self-conscious about them sometimes.

The scar that ran alongside the lower part of his back was where he had gotten stabbed by one of Zanarkand's Abes but thankfully, his vital organs had been spared. His mako blue eyes then focused on the scar that ran across the entire length of his back; he had gotten that one after being slashed by another of the Abes. Cloud grunted under his breath once his eyes looked towards the new scar that was on his right shoulder-blade.

It was where that monstrosity of a wing had protruded from.

Watching as his demonic wing extended out, Cloud shivered inwardly. Although it had been two days since the attack on Radiant Garden and also when this mysterious wing of his had made itself known, it still felt foreign to his body. It was a mutation, something he didn't want in his body. In all honesty, he had no idea why it had made itself known the other day. The wing itself was strange; it was a midnight black and looked leathery smooth. It almost had a velvety texture. At the tips of it were sharp claw-like protrusions that looked cutting to the touch. He flexed it experimentally and his breath practically hitched when it began to move up and down slowly. Goddess, what was happening to him? Was he becoming a monster? Turning back around so he was now facing the mirror again, the ex-SOLDIER, who probably would have to reinstate himself soon, raised his right hand. His eyes bore into his reflection and with an almost animalistic cry, he formed a fist and struck the glass before him, shattering it instantly. Breathing and panting hard, he laid his forearm along the cracked glass, not at all caring how the jagged edges could possibly cut him. 'What the hell is happening to me?' He asked again.

He felt even uglier than before - just want had he done to deserve this?

Leaning his head against his forearm, Cloud bowed his head shamefully as an image of his russet haired lover manifested inside his mind. '…What is Leon going to think?' He couldn't bear the thought of Leon hating him or being disgusted by him; his heart would surely break if he ever heard his lover say those kinds of negative words to him. Sighing out loud once again, the blond shook his head and stood up straight, his eyes staring hard at his reflection in the broken mirror. 'Am I so shallow and weak that I would even question something like that?' With another shake of his head, he closed his eyes and slipped on his heavy black shirt, not wanting to see that monstrosity of a wing ever again.

"…Cloud?"

Whirling around quickly, Cloud's eyes snapped open and glazed over with shock and surprise as he took in the sight of the woman before him. She was an average heighted woman, one with raven hair and streaks of caramel colored highlights, and had chocolate brown eyes. She had on a long, sleeveless blue rib-knit duster sweater with matching arm warmers. Underneath her sweater was a black tank top and she had on a denim button-up skirt. She also had on a black ribbon on her left arm as well as black biker shorts that stopped to about her mid-thigh. His mako blues focused on that of the necklace around her neck and when he caught sight of a pair of angel wings, his brows furrowed. As if needing more evidence, perhaps for his own sanity, Cloud looked towards her left hand and he immediately flinched; she had the ring of Griever around her left ring finger. There was no mistaking it. This woman before him – it was Rinoa Heartilly.

Although this was the first time they had truly ever met face to face, Rinoa could tell from a mile away that this was her soul mate's husband. She had heard stories about the SOLDIER cloaked in black with eyes like the sky during her time in Radiant Garden from not only people she knew there, but from Squall himself. In his letters when he had been away at war, he always spoke so highly of Cloud and at that time, she was extremely happy for him. During a time as difficult as the Zanarkand War, Rinoa was happy that Squall had managed to find a friend to brave the front with. Her brown eyes found their way to his mako infused eyes as her lips curved into a slight frown. How could she have known that he'd leave her for this 'friend' too? Despite all that though, Rinoa folded her hands behind her and smiled at him. "Hello Cloud, I'm very happy to finally meet you."

Frowning a little at her kind forwardness, the ex-SOLDIER frowned. 'After twenty years, that's the first thing you say to me? Not "You took my fiancé away from me?" or even a "Fuck you!"?' From what Leon had told him, Rinoa was too kind-hearted for words like that but Cloud was seriously confused. If it were him who Leon had left for her, he knew for sure that he would never forgive him. He'd kill him when the opportunity presented itself. But this girl, apparently she had forgiven him? The blond inclined his head slightly in his own form of a greeting and he practically flinched again when she smiled again.

Tilting her head slightly, Rinoa leaned back on the soles of her feet. "You know, Squall is awfully worried about you. I can feel it; he's extremely restless." Walking forward so she stood directly in front of him, the raven haired reached up push away one of his unruly spikes. He nearly frowned again at how ghostly soft her fingers were against his hair. "I think you should talk to him soon and tell him what's been bothering you. Squall isn't the kind of person that would question someone against their wishes but I can tell that he is saddened by something." When she caught sight of the guarded way in which he tensed, Rinoa nodded at him slowly. "Squall's a good man, you shouldn't upset him so."

"Yes." He agreed stiffly. "_Leon _is a good man."

She looked surprised at the change of tone in his voice but she made no move to correct him. Her eyebrows only lowered in understanding. It was true, Squall wasn't Squall anymore; he was indeed _Leon _now. In an effort to distance himself from the murderous acts he committed as a SeeD, her soul mate had changed his name. Although at times Leon would allow people to call him by his first name, it was actually something of a sacred right. Only certain people could call him by his given name – the ones who had the same eyes as he did. The obvious exception to that rule was of course Rinoa, the girl his past self loved. Pulling her hand back, the raven haired woman crossed her arms over her chest and tilted her head at him. "Do you hate me, Cloud?"

"What?"

"Do you hate me?" Rinoa repeated.

That question took him off-guard and he honestly didn't know what to say. Sure, he had an irrational hate for her in the way that this was his husband's soul mate but he also had a rational hate for her because he was jealous. How could he not be? This was the woman who Leon had shared himself with; a part of Leon's past that could never be forgotten laid dormant within this girl. Cloud furrowed his brows as he diverted his gaze to the floor, still seemingly at war with himself. "No." He answered back simply after a few minutes. Was it a lie? He wasn't sure.

Rinoa watched him for a few seconds before smiling a little in understanding. "You're good for him." When he looked at her strangely, she tapped her bottom lip good-naturally. "He's a quiet guy and doesn't say much unless initially spoken to. He's introverted, brooding, cold and taciturn. He's afraid of getting close to people because he's afraid of losing the feelings of comfort that loved-ones provide." Amongst her talking, Cloud's eyes turned hard, who the hell did this girl think she was? Oh right, Leon's soul mate. "He doesn't like relying on others and although he may not say so, his biggest fear is being alone."

"I don't need you to tell me about _my_ own husband." He said dangerously before he could even stop himself. Blinking once, twice, and then a third time, the blond shook his head before looking up to meet Rinoa's gaze, his own set of eyes defiant and true. "That might have been when you knew him but he's not the same man he once was. Leon is kind; he always puts the welfare of others before his own. He'd rather die than see someone else in pain. He's a protector and watches over the people he loves with pride. He laughs and he smiles, maybe not all the time, but he still does. That's what makes hearing him laugh and seeing him smile so great; it's rare but special every single time. Leon isn't cold and unfeeling – he's just hard to understand sometimes. While he may still not talk unless spoken to, when he does talk, he says the most profound and amazing things. He's grumpy and can be a tight ass sometimes but," amongst his thinking, a mental image of his beloved appeared in his mind and he couldn't help but feel fondness enveloping his heart, "he's one of the best people I know." Cloud took a step forward, the sound of his heavy boots thundering throughout the area. His mako blue eyes flashed briefly as he looked down at her. "That's what separates me from you, Rinoa."

"Oh? What's that?" She asked back sweetly as she smiled again.

"I love Squall _and _Leon."

Rinoa nodded and tapped him on the nose, causing him to grunt in surprise. "That's right." She sang out with a genuinely happy smile. Shivering a little at her icy touch, Cloud took a step back as a feeling of comfort and acceptance washed over him. He felt at peace with himself, confident, happy – it was nice. She moved towards him once again and he could distinctly feel the weight of something wrapping around one of his fingers. He heard the distinct sound of a door opening and looked up. His eyes grew wide as the object of his affection came walking towards him and came to stand exactly where Rinoa had been. He had been so distracted by Leon's entrance that he had failed to see the raven haired woman slip away.

"Are you alright? You've been in here for a long time." Leon remarked as he crossed his arms and tilted his head slightly in confusion. What had started off as a morning hygiene session that should have taken Cloud no longer than ten minutes, had turned into almost twenty minutes; it was long enough to make Leon worry a little. He studied his husband intensely, his brow curving upwards upon seeing the disbelief and shock in Cloud's eyes. "What's wrong?"

Looking from Leon's face to the door where he had just entered from, Cloud felt a rush of surprise. "Didn't you see her? Rinoa was just here." If it was even possible, the eyebrow that Leon had raised got even higher. The brunet SeeD before him uncrossed his arms and walked forward till he and Cloud were within mere inches of each other. "Didn't you see her?" The blond asked again.

The older man placed his hands on Cloud's strong shoulders before squeezing them gently. "Cloud." He called slowly, his voice low. Leon watched as Cloud's eyes began to dart back and forth between him and the door and he inclined his head slightly so their foreheads touched. "Rinoa isn't here. She died during the attack on Radiant Garden two days ago." His eyes searched within the pools of Cloud's mako blue and his grip on Cloud's shoulder tightened when he saw shock within those wise eyes. "What do you mean you saw her?" He asked carefully. Truth be told, he wasn't sure what to make of her death. Sure, he had been very upset when he had first found out but right now, at this very moment, his only concern was Cloud.

'_What?_ She died!? But she was just here! _Right here!_' Cloud's hands came up to grip Leon's white shirt as his eyes hardened immensely. "What do you mean?" He demanded. "She was right here!" Frowning at his husband's actions, Leon abandoned his hold on Cloud's shoulders to grip at the hands on his shirt. His hands tightened around that of Cloud's before Leon blinked and furrowed his brows. His cobalt blues caught sight of a round band around Cloud's finger and his breath hitched slightly.

"Cloud." He called once again. "Where did you get this?"

"What?" Cloud asked back. His eyes followed along the general direction that Leon's was looking at and even he gasped. Around his left ring finger was a silver band, but not just any silver band, it was _Griever_. Dislodging himself from Leon's grip, Cloud cradled his left hand in his right, his eyes raking along the curved wings of Griever's mane. 'Impossible.' He said mentally. 'Rinoa was just wearing this… I just saw it on her finger!'

"Where did you get this?" Leon asked again, his voice stern.

The ex-SOLDIER was beyond confused; he could have sworn that Rinoa was just here. Hell, they even talked! What the hell was going on? First, this wing pops out of nowhere. Second, he has a conversation with a woman that is supposedly dead. As his eyes focused on the roaring lion's fangs, Cloud felt himself begin to shake. He saw her, plain as day. While her touch may have seem cold and chilled, he honestly didn't believe that he saw her ghost but then again, what else could he say? Cloud's mind whirled with possibilities and upon realization, he felt his heart thunder within his chest. His eyes turned towards his left arm that he always had concealed under the black cloth of his outer robe and when he felt his muscles tense and clench painfully, the blond shook with obvious fear. Goddess, had he been hallucinating? Rinoa was dead; he only _imagined_ their meeting. Cloud didn't know where Griever came from but that was the least of his worries. It had all been a hallucination and that could only mean one thing.

His Mako Poisoning was back.

* * *

"Once more!" Sephiroth shouted out as he crossed his arms and watched his sons. They were all stationed underneath the Shinra towers in the compound's training facilities. At the moment, he was watching his eldest sons as they all worked to help Riku regain his senses. After the boy had lost his sight, it seemed that he lost the will to continue on fighting and that was not something General Cetra would tolerate. Sephiroth watched as Loz reared his arm back and aimed a punch at Riku's torso while Kadaj sprinted towards them with his double-bladed sword. "Pay attention to your surroundings, Riku!"

Grunting at the hit his oldest brother inflicted on him, Riku flinched and held up his Way to the Dawn Keyblade in a defensive stance as he tried to deflect Kadaj's incoming attack. The blindfold felt heavy against his closed eyes but he weathered it stubbornly. He was weak, he knew that much. 'Get over it.' He kept telling himself over and over again. 'You don't need your eyes.' He would add.

It was hard.

Holy fuck, it was hard.

He had never been able to _not _see. To go from seeing the light of day to suddenly seeing nothing at all was hard for Riku to comprehend. The logical side of his mind rationalize that he was justified for being so melancholy about the loss of his sight. After all, he had always had the privilege of seeing. He hadn't been born a blind person and because of that, it was customary for him to be able to see. Now, suddenly his vision had been taken away from him and he was nothing more than a sitting duck. Sure, blindness wasn't a complete hindrance. Hell, there were some amazing people out there who were blind. They didn't see it as an unfortunate accident, if anything, they _embraced _it and made it their own. But in his case it was hard, it really was. He'd seen color and he'd seen texture. He'd seen his own face as well as the faces of the people he loved. But now, he wouldn't be able to. He was blind and nothing could change that. Hearing the sound of running footsteps, Riku quickly jumped to the side only to collide with that of the wall. He cursed loudly and in his disorientation, failed to notice Yazoo coming up behind him and kicking him straight across the chest.

He hadn't adjusted, at least, not yet.

Tightening the hold he had on his Keyblade, Riku stilled and darted his head from left to right. Listening for the sound of padded footsteps and quick breaths, he waited. Riku would strike when the moment was right – there! Whirling around and ultimately dodging Loz's incoming punch, he slashed downwards with his Keyblade, smirking a little at the grunt Loz let out. His moment was short-lived however as Kadaj came running towards him with his blade extended out. Sephiroth watched his youngest with hard eyes as Riku was flung back several feet. He was in the process of telling them to run through the training exercise again when he heard a pair of footsteps coming towards him. "Colonel." Sephiroth greeted briefly before turning towards the younger boy beside him. "Sora."

"Hi General Cetra." Sora replied back as he bowed his head respectfully while his Uncle Zack saluted beside him. The brunet came to stand beside the silver haired man and he peered over the railing to watch Riku's sparring session with his brothers. "How's he doing?" Watching as Riku received a swift uppercut to the chin, he flinched slightly. "Not well, huh?"

Sephiroth hummed thoughtfully before inclining his head in a slight nod. "It's difficult to say for sure but Riku is certainly struggling. It seems like he has a good grip on his senses and then the next thing you know, he's been knocked down again." Shaking his head, the General sighed. "It's going to be a difficult road for him. It's almost as if he's his own worst enemy." When Sora looked at him confusingly, Sephiroth continued. "Riku knows what he needs to do in order to regain control but it's a matter of resistance. He realizes that he needs to change in order to accommodate this new condition but he's stubborn and doesn't want any help. He wants to shoulder this 'burden' on his own."

"With all due respect sir, give the kid some more time." Zack stated as he folded his arms over the railing and leaned against it. "He's trying to adjust, isn't that enough? If he needs the extra push, we'll help him." Feeling Sora lean against him, the raven haired responded by wrapping an arm around his nephew. "You honestly can't expect him to bounce back right away."

"That is true."

"Do you think he'll get his sight back, Uncle Zack?"

Like Sephiroth, Zack hummed a little before replying. "I'm not really sure, Sora. Your Aunt Aerith and the rest of Academia are trying their best though." Nudging his nephew gently, Zack grinned a little curtly. "I'm sure they'll find something. You know your Aunt Aerith Sora, she's got a knack for helping out."

The brunet immediately nodded at that as a feeling of reassurance came over him. To be honest, Sora still blamed himself for Riku's lack of sight. Although the teen had reiterated over and over again that he wasn't mad or upset that he lost it, Sora didn't believe him. Pushing himself off the railing, Sora bowed his head at Sephiroth and Zack. "I'm going to see if Riku needs any help." Without waiting for the okay from Riku's father, Sora jumped up over the railing and landed swiftly on the ground. The SOLDIERs watched as Sora grabbed one of Riku's spare Keyblades and sprinted towards Riku with his weapon out and at the ready.

Sephiroth waited for Sora to immerse himself with Riku's training exercise before clearing his throat. "Now what did she really say?" A shadow crossed Zack's face as he stood straight and ran a hand through his black spikes.

"Riku's blindness may or may not be temporary but on our own we cannot restore it."

"But it isn't permanent? As in, there is a chance that it isn't permanent?"

"No, sir. It isn't." Zack crossed his arms over his chest and sighed. Glancing over at the sparring boys and then back at his General, Zack's voice got visibly softer. "Hope did suggest something we could do." When Sephiroth raised a curious brow, Zack continued. "Mako, sir." The two lapsed into an uncomfortable silence as they each drifted off into their own little worlds. Both Zack and Sephiroth were SOLDIERS and as such, they had already been infused with the power of Mako. The very essence of the Lifestream flowed through their veins, enabling them to have superior strength and almost superhuman-like abilities. In modern times however, the use of Mako on people had been strictly outlawed several years ago due to its harmful effects after prolonged use; even they themselves had suffered once upon a time.

Sephiroth's eyes followed Riku's movements swiftly as a feeling of sadness enveloped his heart. Throughout his life, the silver haired man had been many things. He had been first and foremost a son. And as such, he had high respect for his father when the man had been alive. Secondly, he was a SOLDIER and a high-ranking one at that. Lastly, he was a father. Nothing pained him more than seeing his own flesh and blood struggling and upset. Sephiroth wanted Riku to be okay, he really did. He wanted Riku to be able to see again but not at such a price. Clearing his throat, General Cetra stood to his full height as he looked down at his family. "I wouldn't wish that on my son." He said finally.

And all Zack did was nod in reply.

* * *

"_Yeah, yeah I know. I'm sorry I haven't said anything until now but I'm good. A little scratched up, but alive._"

Axel heaved out a huge sigh of relief as he slumped back against the iron-plated walls behind him. Letting his phone hang limp in his hand, Axel looked upwards at the ceiling. His eyes were unfocused and a little hazy but at the moment, they were slowly clearing. After the mess two days ago, he hadn't heard from Roxas at all and it actually was killing him. He'd gotten the okay from Demyx, Zexion, Marluxia, and his other friends that they were indeed alive and safe somewhere in the compound but the only one who didn't text him back was Roxas. He was concerned of course, why wouldn't he be? Despite the fact that they were 'soul mates' or whatever, Axel certainly didn't want the kid dead. Roxas had his whole life still ahead of him and Axel surely didn't want him to be deprived of that. During the chaos of the attack on Radiant Garden, Axel had slung Kairi around, picked her up, and sprinted straight for the Shinra tower. You see, Axel knew about the underground compound; his parents did work here after all. Naturally, he told the conscious audience members around him head for the tower. 'It's so irritating how this kid gets me so damn worked up.' Pulling his phone out, Axel swiftly began typing back a reply. "**Good. You here in the compound then?**" When Roxas replied back in a single word that he was, a red brow twitched annoyingly. 'You little shit.' As he began typing out another reply, Axel felt something prod his side.

"Axel?" Kairi asked, placing a hand on the area she had just poked. "Is it okay if I go see Seifer for a bit? He's probably worried sick about me and well, I am too, about him anyway." Biting her lip a little but ultimately looking up at him with confidence, Kairi poked him again. "Is it okay? I promise I won't be gone long." Their eyes locked briefly before Axel nodded, indicating that she could go. Truth be told, Kairi would have left even if he said not to; she was just letting him know that she was going. Kissing him briefly on the cheek, Kairi quickly dashed away with her phone attached to her ear as she called her soon-to-be boyfriend or whatever the hell he was to her.

Returning his attention back to his phone, Axel rolled his eyes and simply hit the 'call' button. Holding the phone up to his ear, the crimson haired man listened to the dial tone and after two rings, Roxas picked up. "I never got to thank you for bringing me to Kairi." Axel said, skipping the greeting and getting right to the point. He heard an amused grunt from Roxas' end and rolled his eyes a little but the manner in which he did so was reserved and even a little happy. "Seriously Roxas, thank you."

"_You're welcome, Axel_." Roxas replied back easily. "_I'm glad everything worked out for you two_."

Their conversation was short-lived however for Axel's phone started vibrating which could only mean that he was getting another call from somebody else. Pulling away so he could look at the Caller ID, his green eyes flashed irritably. It was his father. Well shit, Axel definitely did not want to answer that call. "Sorry about that." Axel apologized as he replaced the phone back against his ear. "My old man was calling. What were you saying?"

"_Nah, it wasn't important. Go talk to your dad_."

Without even giving Axel the chance to reply, Roxas abruptly hung up. Blinking at the dial tone, Axel groaned and rolled his eyes again, but this time, it lacked the happy vigor from before. 'Damned kid.' He cursed mentally before letting out another sigh. He pressed his thumb against the 'call' button once again and leaned back against the wall. "Yeah?"

"_Hello to you too, son_." Reno greeted with a small laugh. Axel could practically see his father adjusting his goggles. "_How are you and Kairi? Did you get to the underground compound okay?_" When Axel replied swiftly that they did, Reno let out a relieved sigh. "_That's good to hear. Your mother and I were worried_." There was a pause before, "_I'm glad you remembered what we told you_."

Ignoring that statement, Axel changed topics. "Where are you right now?"

"_You know that's not something I can disclose, Axel._"

"Yeah, yeah." The college student replied back with a wave of his hand. Stretching out his stiff legs, Axel attempted to make himself more comfortable. Easier said than done though, after all, he was sitting down on an iron-plated floor. "Did you need something? To check up on Kairi perhaps? Well, like I said before, she's fine. She sustained minor injuries but they'll heal up in a week or so."

"_And yourself?_"

"I'm fine, more or less." He then paused uncomfortably. "I'm alive."

Reno let out a sigh of relief, much like how Axel himself had done only moments ago. Were they really so much alike? The Turk smiled happily over on his end of the phone and let out an honest to Goddess laugh before he straightened his form and spoke in soft tone. "_That's good; I'm glad._" There was a pause before, "_Be safe okay? Watch your backs._"

A pair of emerald green eyes softened at that and Axel couldn't stop the corner of his lips as they curved small smile. It was nice to hear his father say that. "Yeah, Dad. Take care of yourselves." They said their goodbyes not long after and once Axel pocketed his phone, he heard the distinct sound of incoming footsteps. Looking up, his eyes were met with a set of sky blue ones as he felt his breath hitched slightly. "Roxas?" The blond nodded and lifted his hand in a small wave before walking towards him and sliding down to sit beside him. "What are you doing here?"

"Nothing really. I was walking around," he then paused and pointed at Axel's head of flaming hair, "I saw that and figured I'd come and say hi." Roxas turned his attention to Axel's arms, only just now noticing the scratches and bruises on them. "You didn't tell me you got hurt too." His voice was small as his eyes continued to rake over the injuries to Axel's skinny arms. "Were you close to the blast zone?"

Glancing at said injuries, Axel shrugged his shoulders, trying to deter Roxas away from looking at them. For some reason, he didn't feel right having Roxas see them. "Kind of." He then paused. "Actually, now that I think about it, it was more of a combination of things. There was a lot of debris in the air and I remember getting pushed and shoved a lot when we were trying to get to the compound." Tilting his head and looking over at Roxas, Axel frowned. "What about you? How did you fair?"

"Pretty much the same; cuts and bruises." Roxas was silent for a while until he pulled his legs up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. Tucking in his chin and resting it against his knees, the blond closed his eyes tiredly. "Can I tell you something?"

"Sure, you can, Roxas." Axel replied back quietly.

"I'm a little scared." He admitted openly as he involuntarily raked his nails along the fabric of his pants. For the past two days, he sought comfort in each of his fathers' arms as well as that of Sora's, but in all honesty, Roxas wanted more. He needed more. Scared was probably putting it lightly – Roxas was absolutely terrified. If what his father said was true, this certainly wouldn't be the last attack on Radiant Garden. Did this mean he'd have to endure all this worrying again? To not know if his brother or fathers were alive? Roxas wasn't so sure he wanted to experience those feeling of intense dread and sadness ever again. He got the reassurance from his friends that they were alright but when he hadn't heard from Kairi, Xion, or Naminé after the attack, he felt so sick. While it was true that he hadn't known them for very long, it really didn't matter to him. They were his friends and he loved them – to not know if they were alive or dead, it really sucked. Feeling Axel shift beside him, Roxas let out a mental sigh. And then there was the subject of Axel, his so-called 'soul mate'. If Axel hadn't texted him today, Roxas probably would have never known he was alive. He didn't actively seek him out simply because he was still shaken up by the events that had occurred on the day of the tournament. Roxas was scared he wouldn't get an answer if he called or texted Axel asking him how he was. He was scared that if he called Axel, he'd only hear the dial tone or his phone going straight to voicemail.

He wouldn't know what to do with himself if Axel had actually died.

A soul mate is a person that has a natural and deep affinity with you. In the compatible sense, a soul mate is essentially your carbon copy; typically they like and dislike the same things you do. There's room for active debates and small teasing arguments but fights were things that never happened. The divine Goddess Etro stated in her teachings that when two soul mates find each other, an unspoken understanding for one another comes into play. There's a sense of unity and involvement that comes within finding your soul mate. The bond between two soul mates is like a blessing and when two soul mates find themselves separated, they realize that they must face the harshness of life alone. Forging a bond with your soul mate doesn't just mean you did so in the romantic or sexual sense, no, it's much more than that. It's a joining of the heart, mind, _and _soul.

Truth be told, since Axel was supposed to embody all that came with being his 'soul mate', that would mean that Axel would be able to understand him in a way that no one else could, right? Axel wouldn't judge him for being weak, right? He wouldn't laugh or sneer or anything like that, right? He'd comfort him because that's what true soul mates did. Taking in a deep breath, Roxas opened his eyes to look at the ground before him. "You don't think it's lame that I'm scared, do you Axel?" He asked, still feeling a little insecure.

Axel was silent for a moment before, "No, Roxas, I don't, not in the slightest."

They sat together for a long time, just reveling in the comfort of one another's physical presence. Neither Axel nor Roxas said a word but perhaps, that was for the best. Without even knowing that he was doing so, the blond tiredly leaned his head against Axel's right bicep. And well, Axel let him do so without any questions asked. Soul mate or not, Axel knew that Roxas needed him. He wasn't about to let the blond face these insecurities and demons on his own. When Roxas opened his mouth to say a word of thanks, the crimson haired man silenced him with a soft hum.

"It's okay to feel scared sometimes, Roxas."

Roxas didn't reply, he only just nodded to indicate that he heard. He was thankful that Axel didn't laugh at him and for the first time ever, Roxas really did want Axel to be his friend. Unbeknownst to him, Axel was also thinking the same thing. Both Axel and Roxas could not deny the overwhelming sense of comfort that the other gave off. Axel was capable of kindness – Roxas could learn to love someone like that.

Maybe anyway.

* * *

Author's notes: I actually loved writing this chapter. My favorite parts were definitely the Cleon and AkuRoku scenes. If you already couldn't tell, I have a fondness for those two. Cleon and AkuRoku are probably both of my OTPs for Kingdom Hearts. I hope the AkuRoku wasn't too out of place; I tried to keep it subtle but really, they're both feeling pretty vulnerable and are letting themselves get comforted. Roxas is just more willing to admit it than Axel is.

Hahaha I know I said I wouldn't post anything until after finals are over but I just couldn't help myself. Wish me luck on my criminology final tomorrow. Wooshhhhhh! Let me know if you guys enjoyed this! Take care everyone!


	18. 242 Days Left

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or its characters

Chapter: 18 "**242 Days Left**"

Author's notes: Hello my beautiful readers! Thank you to all that read, reviewed, faved, and followed! What was this, a two week hiatus? This was hard for me to write, I'm not sure why :( Like, I was just unmotivated to write. With this chapter, we've hit the milestone of 100,000+ words though! Also, we are 17 away from hitting 100 faves! Thank you, thank you! I'm so happy you are all loving what I have done so far! :) I've noticed that I tend to have more odd number days for chapters. Let's change that, shall we? Also, trying out this new thing where I include people who reviewed as thanks. I don't know why I stopped doing it before. Is this horrible unedited? I THINK SO.

**This chapter is dedicated to all those that love this story as much as I do. Special thanks to Hinata's Shadow, Xacilia, RioraFan, Xamggie, Kurado, CrossSlash, Bitterbeauty813, pearlsXofXsin, Xigheart, Black Heart 124, xOwleX, Ldrmas, MarquiseVriskaSerket for taking the time out of their days to review. I love you all!**

* * *

Director Estheim stood to his feet and cleared his throat, quickly getting the attention of his fellow leaders. It was now the third day since the attack on Radiant Garden and it was currently early in the morning. He, along with Commander Farron, General Cetra, Brigadier-General Leonhart, Colonel Strife, and Colonel Fair, were all situated in one of the conference rooms located further away from the main underground area of the compound. "The Academy has decided to label these strange monsters as 'Bombs' and we have deduced that they are in a sense, living explosives. They are prone to destroying themselves along with their enemies by self-destructing. Bombs essentially take the rage built up by being attacked and transform it into useable energy. This, in turn, causes them to grow into incredible sizes." As he spoke, a holographic image of a Bomb lit up behind him. "They expand when they are attacked and while we are not sure when they exactly explode, the Academy understands that they do having a ticking time." Pulling up another image, Hope pointed to the small fragments left behind by a specimen they were able to observe. "Amongst their ashes, we found traces of Mako in its purest form, straight from the Lifestream itself."

Crossing his arms over his chest, Leon's eyes raked along the features of the Bomb. His cobalt blues started at the curve of its spherical form before sweeping along its sinister and jagged teeth. "Director Estheim." He called in his low voice. When Hope looked his way, the brunet continued. "They also attack in packs of at least three. During the attack on Radiant Garden, I observed that every single time I or my cadets eliminated one, another would quickly come to replace it." Watching as Hope hurried to scribble down some notes, Leon cleared his throat slightly to get the attention of General Cetra who had yet to speak since the meeting began. "Sir, what do you propose we do in concerns to the assassin?"

All eyes turned towards him as Sephiroth leaned back in his chair. "We investigate." He answered simply. "He is described as being a young man with shoulder-length brown hair and blue eyes. His most distinguished features are a pair of angel wings upon his back and Etro's scriptures on his dual swords. Reno has also noted that the assassin's clothes suggest that he belongs to a tribe of sorts." The very second that the word 'tribe' left the General's lips, Cloud and Leon felt their hearts beginning to beat rapidly.

Sharing a look with Leon across the table, Cloud's brows furrowed in dismay. "The Farseers are the one behind this." He concluded wisely. "They're the ones responsible for the attack." When all eyes turned towards him attentively, the blond folded his arms on the table and rested his chin on his clasped fingers. "The Farseers are the only ones with a motive to hurt Radiant Garden. During the times of the Zanarkand War, they were all in the crossfire. Gran Pulse does border both Zanarkand and Radiant Garden after all. I would not be surprised if they harbored ill feelings towards us because of it. They could finally by striking back at us." Tapping his foot impatiently underneath the table, Cloud's eyes swept from left to right as he looked at the faces of his fellow leaders. "They are essentially servants of Etro and as such, they have a wide understanding of the Lifestream. The Bombs had Mako with them and we all know that these Bombs are not natural beings. Where does Mako come from? The Lifestream. It's possible that they are utilizing it in order to retaliate against us." Building on his husband's points, Leon continued.

"Think about it." He said gravely. "We have SOLDIERS and SeeD while Zanarkand have their Abes and their destructive machine, Vegnagun." Nudging his head in the direction of the holographic image of the Bomb's ashes, the brunet's eyes turned hard. "The Farseers have Mako. We've been using Mako in its altered form on our SOLDIERs for years and while it's true that we haven't done so in a long time, the Farseers may still see it as insult to their Goddess."

"There has to be something more to it." Lightning argued. "It doesn't make sense; it's been years since the war. If they had wanted revenge, they would have done so by now." Standing to her feet, the Commander crossed her arms. "I say we go to the Yaschas Massif right now and straighten this out. If I remember correctly, they were last seen there. I'll take my men –"

"No." Sephiroth cut in simply.

"And why not?" The rose haired woman asked with a furrowed brow.

"If Colonel Strife's assumptions are indeed correct, the Farseers may have something even more destructive at their disposal. We have evidence of their beasts having Mako within them but there is also a chance that they themselves have been infused with the Lifestream's essence. While it is true that the Lifestream is indeed present in all living things, perhaps the Goddess favors them more – their veins may already carry the presence of Mako in its purest forms." Shaking his head, General Cetra stared down the Commander with hard eyes. "It's too much of a risk and I will not put Radiant Garden at risk. With the President's life in danger as well as the safety of our citizens, we cannot afford to launch an all-out retaliation against them. We need proof first." When Lightning opened her mouth to speak once again, Sephiroth glared at her fiercely. "This is all an assumption, Commander Farron. We do not know if it is truly them that is behind this attack."

Zack shifted his eyes from left to right before he stood to his feet as well. "I say that we talk to this assassin first. Does anyone know where he is being kept? Since he is a member of the Farseers, I'm sure he'll give us the answers we need." Looking over at Leon, the dark haired man frowned. "Leon, do you know where he is being kept?"

"I assume that he is under strict surveillance by the Turks but in regards to Rufus Shinra, neither General Cetra nor I know their whereabouts. His location is being kept hidden and I am sure that Reno would not disclose their location." Watching as Zack sat back down, Leon nodded determinedly. "For now, all we can do is trust that the Turks will interrogate the assassin. I would not be surprised if they were already doing so now. For now, our part is to ensure the safety of those in the compound. It is our sworn duty to protect Radiant Garden." A dark thought then passed his mind as Leon closed his eyes. He reached up with a gloved hand to pinch at the bridge of his nose before sighing softly. "We do however need to survey the city as well as clean up the damage that these Bombs caused. We will have to round up the bodies and pay them our respects."

Cloud's eyes grew hard once again as he thought back to the explosions and screams during the events of that day. It was honestly so reminiscent of his days during the Zanarkand War but then again, it was also quite different. This time he had heard the pained and grief-stricken screams of children and women whereas before, it was strictly just men. The SOLDIERs and SeeD that had died back then were of course his trusted comrades but nothing could have prepared him for what had happened on the day of the Struggle Tournament. The blond thought of the children who had been robbed of their innocence and deprived of their chance to live. He thought of the women who died, leaving their husbands, wives, children, and family alone. Feeling Leon's hand on his thigh, Cloud inclined his head. This time it had been different –

Sora and Roxas, their sons, had been in danger.

Not being able to know if someone you loved was alive or dead was a horrible feeling. Both Leon and Cloud felt sick to their stomachs; back then, during the chaos of it all, they were so scared. The Bomb exploded nearly a three or four feet from where Roxas was standing during the tournament. What if Roxas had died? What if Sora had too? They wouldn't have known what to do with themselves. They were their parents after all, if they couldn't even protect their sons, who else could? No parent ever wants to see or even hear about their children being hurt or worse, dead. During the Zanarkand War, it was either kill or be killed. You had your comrades but you mostly had yourself. Leon and Cloud were no strangers to the horrors of death and war but they would rather die themselves then see Roxas or Sora lose their lives. If a war with the Farseers was eminent, what would that mean for their sons? Would they have to fight too? Cloud shuddered at the thought of it but if a war was coming, he knew he wouldn't be able to shelter them for long. "We said that if it was needed, we would call on those who could fight." Looking up to the meet the eyes of his trusted leaders, the SOLDIER folded his hands on the table. "The most productive thing we can do now while we wait for the Turks to interrogate the assassin is to assess our own potential fighters. While our SOLDIERs and SeeD return to the city above, the Guardian Corps will stay in the compound." His and Lightning's eyes locked and Cloud nodded. "Commander Farron, you and Commissioner Amodar will run a series of drills on everyone of age so that we if we do go to war, we will have a new battalion of soldiers."

No more words were said and after a few moments, General placed his hands on the table and stood to his feet. "This meeting is over. We will now move towards the main compound area to announce our plans to the rest of Radiant Garden."

* * *

Feeling a weight against the side of his head, Roxas began to stir slightly. Opening his eyes slowly, he blinked out the heaviness in his eyes as he tiredly groaned. His nostrils flared slightly as a smoky scent entered into his nose causing him to quickly frown. 'What the hell?' Shifting his eyes towards the right, he spied a spiky lock of crimson hair and froze upon realizing that he and Axel were, well, sleeping against each other. 'Because that's not awkward at all.' Roxas commented as he rolled his eyes. They were both sitting back against the wall but their heads were leaning on one another's; they both must have fell asleep without even knowing. Carefully maneuvering himself away from the older man, Roxas only managed to move a couple inches before Axel began to wake up. Taking the opportune chance to slide away, Roxas crossed his leg over the other and cupped his chin. "Morning." He said, feigning casual.

Axel cracked open an eye and looked at him strangely before reaching up to stretch out his stiff limbs. "Morning, kid." He replied back as he stifled back in a soft yawn. Reaching up to ruffle the back of his tousled spikes, Axel took one look around him before shaking his head in annoyance. "Goddammit Kairi." When Roxas looked at him confusingly, the redhead shook his head once more. "She met up Seifer last night and hasn't come back yet. Stupid bitch; she said she'd only be gone an hour." Momentarily forgetting that Roxas was there beside him, the crimson haired man stood to his feet. After dusting off his pants, Axel stretched once more and made a turn towards the bathroom to start his hygienic routine for the day. Roxas watched him go before sighing to himself that he should probably start his routine too. He followed in after Axel and blended in with the other men that were currently getting ready. Roxas showered in silence and once he finished brushing his teeth, he looked up at his reflection in the mirror.

'That's weird.' Roxas commented as his eyes raked along the broken edges of the glass before him. He reached out and placed a hand on it, only just now noticing that the mirror had indeed been smashed to pieces. 'I wonder who do this.' Shrugging it off, he reached over to turn off the water when an announcement ran through the compound's intercom. The blond's brow wrinkled confusingly as his father's voice rang through his ears.

"_Attention citizens of Radiant Garden, we require everyone's presence in the main compound area. We have something important to discuss and it is imperative that you all are here to listen._"

"I wonder what that's about." Axel said lightly as he came up behind Roxas to place a hand on his shoulder. "Let's go check it out, huh?" Without giving the younger boy a chance to reply, the redhead made his way out the bathroom alongside many other men. Roxas looked towards the spot that Axel had just touched and frowned. It was weird how familiar Axel was being with him. He honestly wasn't sure why the redhead was being so friendly but what was weirder was the fact that Roxas was somewhat okay with it. Last night had been strange yet it worked for them both; they didn't push too hard and they didn't push too long. They spoke a total of one sentence each towards the end of their discussion and that was all they needed to seal their friendship. Sure, Axel was still an asshole but then again, all friends are assholes in some way. Chuckling under his breath, Roxas exited the bathroom. The blond made his way towards Axel when he had saw that he waited for him and with a nod, the two new friends walked towards the main area. They stood with everyone in the crowd, looking up at the stage expectantly. Before them stood their respected leaders: Brigadier-General Leonhart of the SeeD, General Cetra and Colonels Fair and Strife of SOLDIER, Director Estheim of the Academy, as well Commander Farron and Commissioner Amodar of the Guardian Corps. "What the hell is all this?" Roxas hadn't replied, he only shoved Axel gently so the other could be quiet. The redhead only grinned amusingly as he nodded back, listening in on what they were saying.

"We ask that everyone stay here while the SeeD and SOLDIER investigate the city. We need to clean up the debris and collect the bodies of those that unfortunate passed during Radiant Garden's attack." The Brigadier-General explained as he crossed his arms. He spied Sora and Roxas in the crowd and felt somewhat relieved; since the attack, he had been rather on edge and even more protective. Seeing the boys always brought him great comfort, especially now during times of stress. "While we are doing that, Commissioner Amodar and Commander Farron of the Guardian Corps will stage a series of drills on those between the ages of 18 and 33."

When someone shouted out wanting to know why, Zack continued on from Leon's point. "In the event that whoever staged this attack on Radiant Garden comes forth once again, we need people to be able to defend themselves. We have speculation as to who is responsible for this but until we're sure, we cannot publically say so just yet." His eyes flashed blue and Roxas immediately frowned, not at all accustomed to seeing his easy-going uncle sporting such a serious and grim face. "Brigadier-General Leonhart said that if the situation so called for it, we would need the help of those who could fight." Zack folded his hands behind his back as he assumed the standard military stance. "To those that pass their trials and drills, they will become the new face of Radiant Garden. We will select our potential fighters that way." Everyone in the crowd immediately began talking at once as they hurried to whisper to one another. What was going on? Who were these people attacking them? What did they want? To kill them? To end them? Why were they doing this? The citizens of Radiant Garden were all in a frenzy. They were scared and they were nervous. Some people clutched at the people beside them, probably their sons or their daughters. What parent would want their child to fight?

Lightning watched them with still eyes before she slammed a fist against the wall beside her. The people of Radiant Garden immediately quickly quieted themselves down, after all, Lightning Farron was indeed an intimidating person. "I want everyone that isn't between the ages of 18 to 33 out of this room, _now_!" Those that fit the bill hurried to do just that, pushing and shoving others out of the way in an unorderly fashion. In ten minutes, the only people left in the main compound area were the leaders and their new hopefuls. Commander Farron crossed her arms as she looked upon their faces, how she wished she didn't have to see them fight at such an age. Some of them hadn't even had the chance to live yet, at least, not to the fullest. And now they had to fight? What a cruel world this was. She scanned their faces briefly before furrowing her brows in a determined way. "Commissioner Amodar and I will assess your strengths and weaknesses. We will reward you for your triumphs and your faults because after all, no one is perfect. All of you are unique but only some of you will reach your full potential – we will be the ones to determine who will fight alongside us if the situation so calls for it." General Cetra took a step forward and brandished his Masamune as Cloud and Zack twirled their Buster Swords. Leon did the same with his Gunblade but he paused to rest it on his broad shoulders. Lightning was the last to reveal her weapon and she had her Gunblade at the ready before pointing its sharpened point at the crowd. "Depending on what you are able to do, you'll either train in swordsmanship or in the use of firearms. Of course, not everyone's fighting style will be suited to that of a sword or gun."

The silver haired General slashed his long sword out in front of him as his eyes roamed the crowd briefly before connecting with that of Riku, Sora, and Roxas respectively. "Among you, there are indeed those that are most fortunate enough to be able to wield the Keyblade and as such, we have received word from our very own Master Eraqus that he and his four Keyblade apprentices will return home to aid those special fighters. They have been absent from Radiant Garden due to their continued attempts at strengthening Zanarkand and Radiant Garden ties but they will be here within the next two days. Back in the crowd, Axel raised an interested brow as he saw Roxas nod his head slightly in understanding as if the great General was talking in specifics to him or something. A low rumble sounded from Sephiroth's throat as he hummed softly. "And there are also those that will make use of their own weaponry and fighting styles."

"The main point we're trying to make here is that we need you to be ready." Cloud cut in swiftly as he flourished his sword once again before fastening it behind him. "We don't know what's going to happen between now and tomorrow; we could be attacked again" – everyone visibly stiffened at that – "or we could be attacked next week. It doesn't hurt to be prepared." As his eyes swept from left to right, Cloud watched as fear gripped the faces of the people before him. They all looked scared and nervous, anxious even. When his mako blue eyes settled on his eldest and youngest son, he felt his heart tighten. The SOLDIER couldn't blame them for being scared, anyone in their right mind would be. Unfortunately for him, Cloud hadn't been in the right state of mind since before the Zanarkand War. Feeling his husband come up to stand at his side, Cloud nodded slowly at the people before him. "I understand how frightened you all might be with all of this but rest assured, this is just a precaution."

Over in the crowd, Roxas listened intently to what his fathers were saying but he did so in a guarded sense. He couldn't help but feel nervous. If what they were saying was indeed true, did that mean there were people out there that actually wanted to hurt them? It was a terrifying thought. Glancing to the side, he looked up to study Axel's face and when he didn't see a flicker of emotion, he frowned. 'What are you thinking about?' Roxas wondered silently. Tuning out what Commission Amodar was now saying, the blond elbowed Axel gently on the side. When emerald greens locked with his own pair of sapphire ones, Roxas tilted his head slightly. "What do you make of all of this?"

Axel's eyes flickered over to the silver haired man once more before he returned his attention back to Roxas. "I'm not really sure." He replied back honestly. "I wasn't around when the Zanarkand War happened but I do know that it's the reason why we have these timers on our wrists." Thinking back to the words Demyx had said to him so many months ago made him subconsciously rub his left wrist. "In a world barren by war like ours, love is sacred. Back then, during the war, Radiant Garden lost so much and installing timers on its citizens was the only way Rufus Shinra could help. It gave people something new to strive for so they didn't dwell in the grief of loss. I don't really remember the casualty count but I can say for sure that it was horrible." Seeing the blank look in Roxas' eyes made him shiver inwardly. Axel wasn't stupid, he knew for a fact that Roxas and Sora weren't truly Cloud and Leon's children. Of course they weren't, it wasn't possible. 'Has Roxas ever known loss?' Axel found himself wondering.

As if answering his unasked question, Roxas looked away from his gaze to stare at the Brigadier-General and Colonel in front of him. "I don't remember too much from before either. My real mother and father either died in the war or just left me to rot in one of the sectors. After that, I came across Sora and not too long after that, Alpha and Beta found us." Thinking back to those dark times when he found himself alone in the barren wasteland of his former home, Roxas frowned sadly. Was it awful of him that he couldn't remember the faces of his real family? If he had a younger brother or sister, was he a terrible person for not knowing who they were? What if they _were _alive and they had actually crossed paths with even knowing?

'Holy shit.' Axel thought as a horrible feeling constricted somewhere inside his chest. 'So you're telling me, this kid, this kid who I assumed to be nothing but a rich little shit, _actually_ has known loss?' Casting his eyes downwards to the floor, the crimson haired man bowed his head. 'He lost his family, his _biological_ family for that matter, and was left to die. Roxas had nothing.' His body began to shake slightly as he involuntarily reached up to cover his right eye with his palm. 'Now what does that make me?' The crimson haired man asked himself before sighing mentally. 'Nothing more than a man who hasn't known true loss, that's what.' Axel felt disgusted with himself; he had no right to judge Roxas that day when they had met. Ever since Axel had learned the details of his parents' jobs, he had taken it upon himself to distance him and Kairi from them.

And that's what sucked.

Axel's parents were alive and breathing while Roxas' biological family was possibly dead. While it was true that they were at odds with one another, if Axel ever wanted to, he could go to his parents. Roxas didn't have that luxury; it's impossible to communicate with the dead after all. How is it that Roxas was able to smile and laugh like he sometimes saw him do? How is it that Roxas was capable of laughter and positive emotion when he had no memories of his real mother or father? Somewhere in the deep recesses of his heart, Axel found himself feeling sad on Roxas' behalf. 'There's so much about him that I don't know.'

But was that a good thing or a bad thing?

All his life, Axel had never stuck around in one place for too long. It was risky and as rebellious as he was, he didn't like taking risks. There was that saying, 'Go big or go home!' and to be honest, he wasn't that kind of guy. It was either a major setback or benefit; he wasn't a gambler or even a believer in luck like his good friend, Luxord. 'I always knew I was in love with my soul mate – well, at least before I knew it was Roxas. Truth be told, maybe I was in love with the idea of being in love. And yeah, maybe that is a little cliché but she was all I had to love.' While it was true that Axel had dated many women before, it had always been a one-sided sort of relationship. On their part anyway. He didn't love them, not really anyway. Sure, he could lie and say so and they would believe him, but he knew that the very second he met his soul mate, he'd drop them in a second. You see, Axel doesn't do relationships. And he certainly doesn't fall in love with just anybody either. Why was that? It was embarrassing really.

Axel hated attachment.

That's why he didn't allow himself to fall in love with his ex-girlfriends. He didn't want to get attached. He didn't want to feel the happiness and sadness that came with falling in love with them. Axel had been abandoned (at least in his eyes) by his parents for so long that he couldn't help but not want to get closer to anybody else but his soul mate. It was why he felt so in love with the idea of a soul mate. He could get as attached as he wanted to his soul mate and they would never leave him. In his idealistic perspective, they would be attached to him too. Shit, of course they would. In his dreams, he had envisioned a woman with long flowing hair and eyes like the sky. She was tender as she was kind, but she also wouldn't take shit from him or anybody else. His idealistic soul mate was beautiful beyond compare and holy fuck did he love her so. But of course, he didn't believe in luck.

After all, Roxas was his soul mate and he certainly wasn't a female with long flowing hair. Lowering his hand to his side, Axel let out a mental sigh again as he glanced at Roxas from the corner of his eyes who was now listening to the Brigadier-General's speech about further preparation. The college student allowed himself to look at Roxas' face once more before he reached up to pull on the back of his spikes. 'Stop.' He told himself gravely. 'You know better than to think that.' He felt something brush against his arm and glanced sideways once again to see Roxas semi-leaning against him due to the pushing crowd around them. His touch felt familiar as did the feeling of comfort that enveloped his heart. 'I know this feeling.' Axel thought. He had felt it many times before; once at the library, another time at the café, and then a third time last night. That feeling of comfort usually came with another feeling, a feeling of dread or fear. Weirdly enough, he didn't feel it this time.

What could that mean then?

* * *

After sectioning people off in two specific increments of age, Commission Amodar and Commander Farron of the Guardian Corps stood together side-by-side. The dark skinned man had his arms crossed while the rose haired woman had a hand on her hip. "Everyone between the ages of 18 and 25 are to work with me." Lightning instructed briefly before nodding her head over at the chief of police. "Those between the ages of 26 and 33 are to work with Commission Amodar." As she said this, Amodar nodded good-naturally in an encouraging manner. "Commission Amodar will test the strength of his group while I test the agility of mine. After two hours, we will switch and my group will be tested on their strength while the Commission's group works to test their agility. Depending on those two factors, we will access you and you will be assigned to either swordsmanship or in the usage of firearms." Gesturing to the large machine gun Amodar had by his side, Lightning nodded. "Let's begin."

Roxas, who was stationed with the other people his age, elbowed his older brother to get his attention. "Sora." He called, his voice barely above a whisper. When the brunet turned towards him, Roxas nudged his head over at Kairi, Naminé, and Xion who were located further away from them. "I thought they weren't 18 yet?"

"They're not." Sora answered back. "At least, not yet anyway. Xion was telling me that they all have birthdays within the same week and are turning 18 within the next week or so. I guess Commander Farron wants as many people as she can get." Turning his attention back to the rose haired woman, Sora listened intently. She stated that she firstly wanted to test their endurance and gave the orders for everyone to run the perimeter of the compound a total of three times to equal a mile-long run. As everyone lined up in rows of five, Lightning crossed her arms before nodding her head.

"Begin!" Jogging in between Riku and Sora, Roxas began his trek in an average pace. On the outer edges of their five person group, Hayner and Seifer were struggling to keep up. It was mostly because they were too busy trying to best each other instead of keeping a normal running pace. After two or three minutes, Riku, Sora, and Roxas were already approaching the last three-fourths of the mile and that's when they all began sprinting and giving it their all. They were some people in front of them but the majority of the runners were behind them. As they crossed the mile-mark, they huffed and panted tiredly, bending over to rest their hands on their knees. Commander Farron nodded approvingly at the three boys. "You all clocked in at around 5 minutes and 19 seconds." She was impressed; most people finished a mile between 8 and 10 minutes yet these boys did it in 5. She had heard from her superiors that these three boys in particular were special, able to wield the legendary Keyblade. As such, Sora, Riku, and Roxas were probably very able fighters. Allowing them a moment to rest, she walked away to observe the rest of the runners.

Roxas panted tiredly as he reached up to wipe the sweat off his brow while Sora collapsed onto his back. Riku opted to lean against the wall but the rapid rising and falling of his chest indicated that he was worn out as well. Looking back at the people who had to cross the finish line, the blond noticed how Axel was located pretty far away. 'To think he'd be done by now.' He thought. The redhead was a tall individual and he had incredibly long legs; was he just not trying? Spying another head of red hair beside him, Roxas blinked briefly before humming in understanding. The reason why he was taking so long was because he was running alongside Kairi who probably wasn't the best at endurance running. 'He really does seem like a good guy.' It was sweet on his part to want to finish with his sister. In that moment, Roxas honestly saw Axel as an admirable kind of guy – it was pretty weird really. When did he stop hating him again? Roxas couldn't remember. He'd think on it later, there were things he had to do right now after all.

Time went on as it usually did and before anyone knew it, a total of five hours had passed. That meant that both the trials and drills were well over. The leaders of the Guardian Corps allowed everyone that participated to take the time to retire before having to leave themselves since General Cetra had called on them to report their findings. After having freshly showered, Roxas settled against the iron wall tiredly as he sunk down low and rested his head against it. It wasn't comfortable but after the whole training exercise he went through today, he gladly welcomed the hard wall. Spying a head of silver hair, Roxas watched as Sora guided Riku towards him over on the other side of the compound. During their run, Riku seemed better. Although he was blind, he knew when to turn the corner and he knew when to speed up. It was pretty amazing really, not even a week ago, Riku was capable of sight and now, although he was unable to see, he was now able to move normally. Sure, there were still times when he had to rely on others, but it honestly seemed like Riku could take care of himself. Sora on the other hand seemed as protective as ever, wanting to make sure Riku as okay and was well taken care of. "I wouldn't blame him." Roxas said aloud to himself. "He's probably still upset that Riku's like this because of him." Couldn't Sora see that Riku didn't care about that though? 'All Riku cares about is your well-being, you idiot. He could care less if he himself got hurt as long as you're safe and sound, Sora.' Oddly enough, he was reminded of how concerned he was over Axel when he hadn't known if he was alive or dead.

There was no point in denying the fact that if Axel had truly been killed during Radiant Garden's attack, Roxas would actually be thoroughly upset. He had never thought of Axel as being more than his unfortunate soul mate but now they had established an honest friendship, he felt sick to his stomach at the thought of his friend being taken away from him.

_Friend?_

That word seemed strange, even now. Sure, they were indeed friends, but did Axel or Roxas even have the right to call each other friends? They cursed at one another, fought each other on numerous accounts, and wished nothing but horrible things on each other. Did actual friends do that? While it was true that Roxas still had no idea who Axel truly was, on more than one occasion, he found himself actually appreciating and liking the older man. There were times when Roxas saw how kind and selfless Axel was and likewise, Axel probably saw the same on his behalf. When he observed Axel's interactions with Kairi, Roxas was happy – it was nice to see Axel so reserved and genuinely at ease. Kairi brought the best out him and even Roxas found himself liking that particular side of Axel. He was certainly a lot better than the one who held him up by the scruff of his shirt in the Upper-Sector. And then there was the subject of last night when Axel had stayed by his side the entire night. He didn't laugh at him or judge him for being scared and well, Roxas was thankful for that.

"_It's okay to feel scared sometimes, Roxas_."

Axel's words were soft and barely above a whisper from what Roxas remembered. They were kind and understanding – something Roxas didn't know Axel was capable of being, at least, towards him. If only Axel was a girl; he'd fall in love with her no problem. It wasn't that he abhorred the idea of homosexuality, mind you, his parents were together after all. He wasn't disgusted by it in the least. It was just that he himself couldn't see himself with another man. 'Why him though?' He wondered. Looking up at the ceiling, he watched as one of the lights above him flickered on and off, almost as if the light bulb was losing its energy. 'What is it about Axel that I need? What could he possibly give me that I don't already have?' And when Etro didn't answer, Roxas only sighed and rubbed the back of his head. 'Out of all the people in this world, why him? What could _I _possibly give him?' As he sat there and contemplated his place in the world, or at least, in Axel's world, he failed to notice the pair of emerald green orbs watching him from across the compound. Roxas didn't know it, but Axel often found himself wondering the same thing.

* * *

Author's notes: I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter. One minute I'm all like ugh this thing sucks and then the next I'm like, okay it's fine. I'm not sure :( Hopefully you all enjoyed it! The next chapter should be more fun I think. I'm hoping for some XigDem and Zemyx scenes as well as introducing more characters. For this chapter though, I wanted you to get insight into Axel and Roxas finally realizing that maybe there's more to their whole 'soul mate' business than meets the eye. Yep, you guessed it, they're Transformers. See you all next time!

Read and review pretty please!


	19. 240 Days Left

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or its characters

Chapter: 19 "**240 Days Left**"

Author's notes: Thank you SO much for all the reviews everyone! I literally was rolling around in bed because I was just so happy at all the positive comments I got from the last chapter! I am so humbled by all of this, thank you thank you! :) I got 16 reviews that last chapter and that's the most I've had in chapter since like chapter 5 or something! I'm glad people are appreciating the relationship progression between Axel and Roxas! How cool is that we're almost at 20 chapters? That's the most I've ever done! :) Thank you all again! This chapter was very difficult to write, I hope I did okay :( Goddammit Sabrina, you're making me love XigDem, or at least in the way I portray their relationship. I feel so bad for Zexion… I'm so sorry baby! I imagine Vanitas to be such a "I-need-to-have-my-arm-around-you-at-all-times-to- show-everyone-you're-mine" kind of guy so enjoy.

Xigbar's wife's name is Evangeline by the way. It's pronounced like this, "_A-Van-Jel-Lean_" and her nickname will henceforth be Eva which is pronounced like "_A-Va_".

**I UPLOADED THIS CHAPTER AT AROUND 1:00 EST AND TOOK IT DOWN AT AROUND 5:00 BECAUSE IT WAS ABSOLUTELY SHIT AND MADE ME UPSET. I HAVE HENCEFORTH ADDED MORE BUT IT'S STILL PROBABLY SHIT. I APOLOGIZE FOR THIS BRIEF MESSAGE /CRIES**

* * *

Demyx hummed softly to himself as he closed his eyes and gently plucked the non-existent guitar strings in his lap. He had always been an avid lover of music and even now, his fingers melodically strummed a rhythmic song that went unheard by everyone else's ears. It was currently early in the morning and while most people were still sleeping soundly, he sat there by himself without a single care in the world. If only for just one moment, Demyx wanted to forget where he was and that he even existed. He just wanted to sit there and listen to the soft melody his fingers were producing. Demyx's father, Zell, had left his side earlier that morning to go over some basic combat training exercises with some pretty brunette with rather large breasts. The blond had watched his SeeD father leave with a calm expression before he lifted his hand in a form of a goodbye. He honestly didn't know how long he had been sitting by himself; like always, Demyx often lost sight of time when he was playing music. In his distracted state, he failed to notice Xigbar entering his presence.

The war veteran looked down at him seriously before crouching down lowly and placing his elbows on his knees. Despite his age, he was balanced to perfection. Studying the blond before him briefly, Xigbar frowned and reached out to thread his fingers through Demyx's soft blond locks. The younger man's eyes immediately snapped open at that but once he registered who exactly it was that was touching him, relaxed quickly. When Demyx's oceanic blues locked with his own set of amber irises, Xigbar nodded curtly. "Hey kiddo." He greeted simply as he ruffled the blond hair gently and brushed his thumb against the boy's forehead.

In response to Xigbar's actions, Demy pinked a little before nodding back in his own form of a greeting. When the older man didn't pull his hand away after a whole minute, Demyx frowned. He studied the face in front of him intently, his eyes practically boring into Xigbar's own single one since the other was hidden behind the dark eye-patch. The musician saw tension within Xigbar's jaw and he certainly looked like he had aged a good deal even though they had seen each other not more than three weeks ago. Xigbar's eyebrows were turned downwards, almost as if he was displeased by something, and he had heavy bags under his eyes. Was he not getting any sleep? "Are you okay –"

"She had hair just like yours, you know. Maybe even a shade lighter." Xigbar suddenly said as he ran his fingers through Demyx's hair once again. The blond only blinked in reply as his brow crinkled confusingly. "It was longer of course; she usually had it down to about her waist." The raven haired man trailed his hand lower to settle on Demyx's cheek. Placing the back of his fingers against the younger boy's soft skin, Xigbar hummed lowly. "She had blue eyes too."

'What the hell is he talking about?' Demyx questioned mentally. A part of him wanted to pull away, to dislodge himself from Xigbar's touch, but the other part of him wanted to stay perfectly still. He was confused, that much was obvious. Xigbar was drawing comparisons between him and some unknown woman but why? As his oceanic blues traced along the lines on Xigbar's face, Demyx saw a flicker of sadness in those clenched jawlines before his throat turned so dry that no amount of water could possibly ever wet it again. A realization hit him almost instantly – "Oh Goddess Xigbar, I'm so sorry."

Finally pulling away Demyx, Xigbar hung his head low. His hair, which he usually kept tied back in a simple ponytail, was left undone and fell over his face. The long locks of raven hair perfectly shielded him from Demyx's eyes as they casted a shadow over his eyes. "Her name was Evangeline." He stated simply as he sat down on the ground and curled his hands into fists.

"And your daughter? Did she…?"

Shaking his head, Xigbar barked out a soft yet somewhat deranged laugh. "Paine's alive. She only managed a few cuts and bruises." His eye turned grim as he reached up to cover his face with his gloved hands. "It was my wife who wasn't so lucky." Before Demyx could ask how it all happened, Xigbar continue on. "It just happened so fast; I barely even had enough time to react fully. My first instinct was to grab my daughter and once I did that, I looked back for my wife and Eva was lying face down on the ground." Xigbar's voice shook with anguish but the man's body was completely still, like he was numb or something. "I felt for a pulse but once I turned her over, I knew there was no point." The blond felt absolutely crushed as he felt the full weight of Xigbar's sadness and grief coming through their still minuscule but ever so prevalent bond. Vaguely, he could see images of a slender blond woman laying amongst the broken debris and he practically wondered if he was somehow relieving Xigbar's memories from that day. Demyx was almost too scared to ask but Xigbar answered him anyway. "She was pierced right through the heart."

Demyx honestly felt like he could cry. He felt sad, incredibly sad for that matter. His soul mate's wife was dead. The woman that Xigbar fell in love with of his own accord – one who he chose to love even whilst knowing that they were not fated to be – was dead. How could Etro be so cruel? Why did she do this? Why did she let this happen? Xigbar didn't deserve this, no one did. He felt so very sad for his soul mate, so very, very sad. 'I'm so sorry, Xigbar.' Demyx thought. The musician's eyes softened painfully as he reached out to wrap his arms around the older man's neck. At this moment in time, Demyx didn't care what he was doing, so long as it was helping Xigbar. He couldn't stand to see his fated lover in so much pain – it just hurt too much. The dark haired man felt numb in his arms and it practically tore a small sob from Demyx's throat. 'I'm so sorry.' He mentally said again, over and over again.

Xigbar didn't cry. He was grief-stricken at the loss of his beloved Evangeline but he couldn't cry. He didn't even know if it was possible for him to cry anymore; he had shed many tears in the following days since her death and he honestly didn't know if he could cry anymore. The sharpshooter barely registered the feeling of Demyx's arms hugging him close and while a part of him screamed that this was an act of betrayal on his part, he couldn't move away. Xigbar loved Evangeline, he loved her with everything he had, even from the moment he first laid eyes on her during the Zanarkand War. Things seemed simpler then, at least, back then, when she had been alive. A familiar scent entered his nose and Xigbar practically shook with sadness. Demyx smelled like the ocean. Just like Evangeline. The kid must have loved the ocean too. It was all beginning to be too much –

Eva's blue eyes.

Demyx's blue eyes.

Eva's blonde hair.

Demyx's blond hair.

_Evangeline… Evangeline… Evangeline…!_

"…I'll do it." Xigbar found himself saying despite himself. Looking up a little to meet those familiar oceanic orbs, the raven haired man furrowed his brows slightly. "I'll try it." He said this time. "I'll try being your soul mate." The very second those words left Xigbar's left, Demyx pulled back in alarm. He hadn't expected this. What the hell was Xigbar even thinking? Was he not sadden by the loss of his wife anymore? Crinkling his own brow in confusion, the blond studied the older man's amber iris briefly before a small sigh fell from his lips. There was no mistaking it – Xigbar was lonely. Did he have it him to satisfy Xigbar's needs though? Demyx wasn't so sure. When he made another move to pull away out of respect for Evangeline, the sharpshooter grabbed him quickly, ultimately causing Demyx's eyes to widen in surprise. He didn't want this; he didn't want to pity the older man but the loneliness and sadness in Xigbar's eyes was hard to ignore. In all honesty, Demyx didn't have it in him to push away Xigbar's anguish. If anything, he wanted to share this pain with Xigbar, or at least, take some of it away. While it was true that he and Xigbar were nothing more than soul mates, there was no emotional feeling behind it. Being soul mates was simply just a label; it certainly didn't mean anything, at least not really. And so, because of that, the blond allowed Xigbar to pull him into his lap and thread his fingers through his hair again. He would allow himself to satisfy the older man's needs just this once and as Demyx closed his eyes and inclined his head slightly, he tried to block out the soft whispers Xigbar would utter. "Eva." He would say repeatedly. "Eva. Eva, I love you."

And the only thing running through Demyx's mind was that he really, really pitied _himself_. 'I'm not Eva.' He would respond back but with an inaudible voice. Because of course, he could only lie so much. In his distracted state, Demyx had failed to notice a pair of blue eyes that glared at him coldly from across the room. Just what the hell had he gotten himself into?

* * *

"Master Eraqus, welcome back." General Cetra greeted as he quickly stood to his full height and extended his hand out in a respectful manner. Behind him, the other leaders stood up as well to welcome the newly returned Keyblade Master. Leon, Cloud, Zack, and Sephiroth had all assembled in the conference earlier that morning as they waited for Eraqus to arrive. Taking Eraqus' hand, General Cetra gave it a good and firm shake as he nodded. "It is refreshing to see you here." Turning his attention to the dark haired youth beside the great master, Sephiroth nodded. "Is this one of your apprentices?"

The ponytailed man hummed proudly and lifted a hand to gesture at the man beside him. "Yes, this is Terra." Terra was a rather tall individual with broad shoulders and spiky raven-brown hair. His eyes were an intense shade of blue that were at the moment, closing briefly as he bowed his head respectfully to the current overseers of Radiant Garden. Moving over to shake Cloud's hand and then to Leon's and Zack's, Master Eraqus smiled charmingly at his former war veterans. "It is good to see you all as well. I am glad to see that not one of you has changed; you are just as I remembered." He then chuckled a little as he crossed his arms good-naturally, his long sleeves cuffing a little as he did so. "Except you Squall, your hair was shorter back then."

Disguising an amused snort as a soft cough, Cloud raised a fist to cover his mouth. He could practically feel the pair of glaring cobalt blues burning through his armored shoulder but it only served to fuel his amusement. It was true, back then, Leon's hair was quite different. It wasn't as long and shaggy as it was today; it was strange how much Leon had changed since those days as a SeeD in the Zanarkand War. Ignoring his husband, the lion put on a curt smile. "You speak as if you yourself haven't changed in these many years, Master Eraqus." Sharing a nod with Terra, Leon continued. "I heard you had four apprentices? Where are the others?"

Clearing his throat so he could speak on behalf of his friends, Terra spoke for the first time today. "Aqua, Ventus, and Vanitas should be in the main compound." He explained. "Ven wanted to see how everyone was doing so Aqua and Vanitas volunteered to go with him." Looking up into Leon's face, the youth felt exhilarated. He had heard stories from Master Eraqus about the scarred-face SeeD who singlehandedly made Radiant Garden history. After all, it had been Leon who convinced the rest of the SeeD Mercenary group to join the war on behalf of Radiant Garden. Looking over at Cloud, Zack, and Sephiroth, he felt even more excited. They were SOLDIER, some of the most elite fighters in the whole world. While he himself was proficient with the Keyblade, he still had so much to learn. These people before him must have been the best of the best. Realizing that he had been ogling however, Terra cleared his throat and stood up straight, correcting himself. "It's an honor to meet you Brigadier-General, sir. I feel very fortunate to meet each and every one of you." He said respectfully regarding the other leaders in the room.

His smile was serene and proud as Eraqus reached up to place a hand on Terra's head. Although his adopted son was now even taller than him, he still ruffled those dark locks. "Such a respectful boy." Master Eraqus said affectionately before crossing his arms again. "Terra, I have some matters to discuss with the General. Will you wait with your friends? I will be with you all shortly, then, we can begin our training with the other Keybladers."

"Yes sir." Terra replied back with a nod. Turning back to Cloud, Leon, Zack, and Sephiroth, he bowed at them once again before taking his leave. He barely managed to make it out the door when a high-pitch whistle caught his attention. Looking up, he saw a good-natured grin and couldn't help but grin a little himself. "Ven? I thought you were going to the compound with Aqua and Vanitas." Moving over to his best friend, he cuffed the boy on the shoulder and ruffled at his hair before looking around, finally spotting Aqua and Vanitas who were both located by the entrance to the compound. "You guys waited?"

"Of course." Aqua replied back easily as she smiled charmingly at her boyfriend. Once their eyes locked, he quickly left Ventus' side and capture her hand in his, caressing her thumb with his. "Did you really think we wouldn't?" She asked back a little slyly. Beside them, Vanitas rolled his eyes – he wasn't one for public displays of affections. Despite that though, when Ven floated over to his side, he couldn't help but wrap his arm loosely around the boy's shoulder. Yeah, it didn't count for him and Ven.

"Let's get going already." Vanitas cut in impatiently as he nudged his head towards the door. His movements caused his raven spikes to bounce slightly and they only drew Ventus' fond gaze. Ven's blue eyes looked at them briefly before they swept over to look at Aqua and Terra. The four of them had been a foursome for quite some time now – a couple of years after the war anyway. He himself had only been three years old when he was picked up by Master Eraqus and his adopted son Terra. Together, the three of them searched for more survivors and along came Aqua. After some more years, they found Vanitas who was both older than him and the same age as Terra and Aqua at 21 years old. They were best friends and had never been apart. Without another backwards glance, Vanitas and Ventus stepped forward and upon sensing their presence, the iron doors pulled apart, allowing them entrance into the compound.

* * *

Six teens sat together, this being the first time they had all been together as a group since before the attack. Sora was lying down on his back with his arms folded behind his head with his feet thrown over Riku's lap (to the annoyance of his best friend of course). The silver haired boy on the other hand was sitting down with his legs slightly spread in a v-formation with his arms crossed in his attempts to resist throwing Sora's legs away from. Beside Sora sat Naminé who was busy sketching the comical scene of Riku's annoyed face and Sora's playful grin. Her sketch pencil worked furiously, scratching at the surface quickly yet effectively. Xion and Kairi were leaning against each other with their legs tucked underneath as they laughed at something Roxas was telling them. All in all, they were happy to finally be able to spend some time together.

"I'm not kidding!" Roxas said again as he laughed once more. His eyes practically danced with mirth and amusement as he snorted a little. "Hayner and Seifer used to fight and bitch _so_ much in chemistry that Mr. Glacies used this weird sticky resin to bind their hands together! They had to walk around holding hands almost all day long!" Hearing that, Kairi burst out laughing and she practically had to prop herself up on Xion to stay sitting up. Her soul mate was adorable, he really was. While it was true that they hadn't known each other very long, the auburn haired girl didn't mind the older boy's company. In fact, Kairi could only see herself falling for him soon. Seifer was sweet and did his best to make her happy. They were both in the preliminary stages of getting to know one another but Kairi _was _happy with who Etro divined her to be with, even if he was a quote on quote "douchebag" to everyone else. Pointing at Kairi, Roxas grinned. "Next time Seifer does something embarrassing, just whip out that story and put him in his place!"

"You're horrible!" Kairi cried back as she batted his hand away with a giggle. Folding her hands in front of her, she raised an amused brow. "Though, I will keep that in mind." The teen said, her voice suddenly sly and mischievous. "You guys should really give him a chance, you know. He may act all tough but he really is the sweetest thing."

Picking his head up a little, Sora and Roxas locked eyes briefly before turning back to her and replying back swiftly. "Hell no!" They had known the scarred-face boy for years and of those years, he had been nothing more than a bully. An overly obnoxious bully at that. "Just because you and him are dating doesn't mean we have to be all buddy-buddy." Sora pointed out as he dodged the forehead flick she tried to inflict on him teasingly. "Are you guys even dating? Or are you just using him for the fun presents?" Grinning at her cheekily, he raised his eyes up and down challengingly and once she lunged for him out of pure amusement, he attempted to move to the side only to have Riku clamp an arm around him and hold him down. "Traitor!" Sora shouted, closing his eyes and twisting his body around to avoid Kairi's nearing fingers. He was not about to get tickled, hell to the no!

Kairi giggled at Sora and planted a friendly kiss on his cheek before giving Riku the okay to release him by tapping on his arm. She really was just trying to tease the older brunet. Moving back to her spot in the circle, Kairi brought her knees up to her chest and cupped her face and as wistful expression made its way onto her face. "Axel sure as hell doesn't like it though." Glancing sideways at Roxas, she waited for his reaction at the mentioning of her brother. To be honest, she had expected the boy's nostrils to flare or him getting up in anger but he did no such thing. If anything, he seemed interested. Had something happened between them? Granted, she knew that they had had lunch weeks ago but did something _else _happen between them? Before she could elaborate more on her brother's exact thoughts on Seifer, approaching footsteps behind her made her glance over her shoulder. "Speak of the devil." She said under breath. "Hi Axel, care to join us?" Kairi asked sweetly once he made his way over to her.

Scoffing under his breath, Axel placed a hand on his hip and leaned his weight on one foot. "What the hell, bitch?" He asked back and while his words seemed like poison, Kairi knew her brother didn't mean anything by it. "I haven't seen your stupid ass in two days, _two _days! Where the hell have you been? Don't tell me you were with the little shithead again." Ignoring the glare his younger sister sent his way, his green eyes raked along the people she was with and with a two finger salute, he said his hellos to Xion and Naminé. To Sora, Riku, and Roxas however, he nodded simply. Raising a thin brow, Axel leaned his face downwards to Kairi's level. "Well?"

"Don't make me spit in your face, you ass." Kairi immediately retorted though her words were far from being filled with malice. Axel knew that too for he smirked at her and nodded upwards in a challenging way. "I'm not a child anymore Axel, damn." Getting up to her feet, she placed her hands on her hips and raised a brow too. "So, did you need something?"

"Dear old Dad called yesterday, thought you might have wanted to talk." Seeing her face fall slightly, he caved and rested a rather large palm on her hand. Threading his fingers through her hair, he leaned down and kissed her on the forehead. "I told him you'd be around to talk later tonight so he said he'd call then." Upon seeing her smile, Axel smirked at her once again before nodding his head over at Roxas. "Hey kid." He greeted easily.

"'Sup, Axel." Roxas replied back with a nod of his own. "What are you doing today?"

"Probably nothing – I think Demyx needed to talk to me about something but other than that, I'm free. Why? You want to do something?" As the two soul mates lapsed into conversation, the surrounding people around them all tilted their heads confusingly as they shared a perplexing look. When did Axel and Roxas become so friendly with each other? Didn't they hate each other or something? The last thing any of them remembered was when Roxas and Axel had butted heads at the party. Kairi and Sora were the most interested of all – just what had happened between their two siblings? Looking around at each other, they all simultaneously began conversing inaudibly with the exception of Riku unfortunately before they stopped to re-listen to the conversation.

"Yeah, Riku, Sora, and I are supposed to be training with these apprentices today. You know Master Eraqus? The guy who helped developed the Keyblade with Master Xehanort and the rest of the people at Shinra? Yeah apparently he and his apprentices are here to help train us. Kairi, Naminé, and Xion are coming to watch us – do you want to go too?"

Axel shrugged. "Sure, why not."

"Speaking about that," Sora began as he looked over at his younger brother. "When did Alpha say we had to be in the training room? Sometime around 10:00?" Roxas nodded in reply, causing the brunet to glance at his phone's clock. "Oh shit, it's already 9:50. We better get going so Alpha doesn't flip shit." Standing to his feet, he leaned back a little and stretched out his arms only to have it collide with something with something soft.

"_Ow!"_

Blinking at the strange cry, Sora whirled around only to be struck across the face by someone. Taking a step back, the brunet uttered a sharp cry as he staggered backwards and held his aching cheek. As if sensing his best friend's distress, Riku jumped to his feet and reached out to clench his fingers over the unknown striker's shirt and likewise, the other boy did the same. Although Riku couldn't see him, he was not one to sit still when his best friend had just gotten hurt. Getting to his feet, Roxas and Axel stood beside Riku, all of them standing protectively in front of Sora and the girls who were looking increasingly furious but were quickly checking on Sora. "You got some sort of death-wish, you little shit!? The hell's your problem!?" Riku roared as he tightened his hold.

"What the hell is _your _problem!?" The other boy immediately bit back, his amber eyes burning with fury. "Don't interfere! You think I'm just going to sit around here and do nothing when that fucker hurt Ven!?" Roxas glared at the dark haired boy fiercely before turning to look down at this person 'Ven' who was currently crouching low towards the ground and holding his cheek.

"Touch Sora and you'll be the one to pay!"

"Get out of my way!"

The two boys threw insults left and right, their voices rising and rising until the blond could no longer take it. Rubbing at his cheek but not yet standing, Ventus raked his fingertips against the swelled skin. "Vanitas, stop! It was just an accident, I'm fine!" Roxas frowned at the bowed head of blond hair before looking up to the person Riku was verbally fighting. His blue eyes traced along his features; spiky raven black hair and golden eyes. Roxas frowned, who was this asshole? He studied some more before his heart suddenly stopped in his chest.

Wait.

_What the fuck?_

This boy's face! But how could it be!? Needing answers, Roxas surged forward and shoved Riku away so he could get an even closer look at Vanitas' face. There was no mistaking but seriously what the hell was going on here!? Shoving Vanitas away slightly, Roxas glared. "Tell me why you look like him!" He demanded, his voice unfeeling and uncharacteristically cold. "Why the _hell _do you look like my brother!?" His voice was so different that even Axel frowned a little at Roxas' tone of voice. Hearing that, Riku and Vanitas both stilled – wait, what did Roxas say? Pulling himself from out of the circle Naminé, Kairi, and Xion had created around him, Sora pushed his way forward and just stared, his eyes growing wide.

Vanitas and Sora had the very _same_ face!

If it weren't for their hair and eye color, they could have been brothers!

Roxas and Sora then froze.

Brothers? _What!? _There was no other explanation for it but was it true? It had to be! Everyone had been so focused by the sudden hit that Vanitas had inflicted on Sora's face that neither of them took the time and attention to really study the dark haired boy before them. It was almost as if they were so blinded by rage and anger that they couldn't see the most obvious thing – the fact that Sora and Vanitas looked as though they were _related_. That had to be it! Both brothers took a step back, not at all liking the appearance of this Vanitas character. It was all just so bizarre and strange; didn't Sora's real family die in the war?

"Vanitas?" Ventus called as he slowly stood to his feet. Holding his cheek in his right hand, he looked at his boyfriend briefly before turning around to look at the boy Vanitas had just struck. His eyes locked with another pair of blue eyes before his own blue orbs widened in disbelief. "You…! Your face…! Me?" Ventus was beyond confused but unlike Vanitas, he wasn't one to engage in fights so easily. He had no idea what was going on but Ven knew it'd be unproductive just to fight the entire time. Still concerning himself with Vanitas however, Roxas barely registered that he was spoken to and it wasn't until he felt Axel's large hand on his shoulder did he turn towards Ventus.

Holy shit! What in the _fuck_ was going on here!? First Vanitas and Sora have the same face, and now he and this Ventus person had the same fucking _everything_? Same face, same hair, same eyes, fuck! Even the same build! "Is this a fucking joke?" Roxas suddenly hissed. "What the hell is going on?" This was too weird! "Who are you guys and what the hell are you two doing in this city?"

"Who the hell are you two?" Vanitas asked back, pushing Ventus behind him only to have the blond resist and shove him back. "Why the hell does that skinny little fuck look like me and why hell do you look like Ventus?"

"My name's Sora Strife-Leonhart!" Sora stated, clenching his fists and standing up to his full height which was only slightly taller than Roxas. "I'm the eldest son of Cloud Strife and Squall Leonhart, Radiant Garden's heroes!" Turning his face to the side, he gestured towards Roxas. "And this is my younger brother, Roxas Strife-Leonhart! We're both their adopted sons!" Sora then faced Vanitas with a passive yet annoyed expression. "Now, who are _you_?" He was angry, pfft, of course he was. No one punches him across the face and just leaves, that wasn't the way Sora was brought up. There was no way in hell he'd let some asshole do whatever the hell he wanted, it just wasn't right.

"My name is Vanitas Nox." Vanitas introduced stiffly as he too clenched his fists and glared. "I was the former apprentice of Master Xehanort before he passed away five years ago. I am currently under the apprenticeship of Master Eraqus alongside my _boyfriend_, Ventus Caelum, the boy you hit out of fucking _nowhere_. We're here to train with people who apparently can wield the Keyblade."

The silver haired teen looked up at that and his lips curled downwards disdainfully. "You say you two can wield the Keyblade?" Vanitas and Ventus nodded at that and as if sensing that they had done so, Riku held up his right hand. "Well," he began as he extended his fingers out so his palm was facing towards them. A dark and purple haze formed at his right palm and a flash soon followed, ultimately causing Vanitas and Ven to shield their eyes. Riku's Way to the Dawn manifested in his hand and with a stern voice, Riku inclined his head slightly. "So can I." That was the thing with Keyblades – Masters Xehanort and Eraqus had engineered them so they directly resonated with an individual's heart. Whether it be by Crystal or Chaos, the Keyblade was in a sense, a direction reflection of the wielder's character. It would come when called on and disappear when not; it truly was a special weapon.

Vanitas only glared, he hated people like this. Ven on the other hand was thoroughly intrigued. "So you're one of the people we're training with?" He asked.

"It's not just him." Roxas said, speaking directly to his look-a-like for the first time since he had discovered their shockingly similar appearances. Sora held out his right hand just like Riku had done as Roxas crossed his arms over his waist. Almost instantly, each of Roxas and Sora's respect Keyblades appeared in their hands. Sora's Kingdom Key was held tightly in between his two hands once he brought his hand down while Roxas' fingers were clenched over the hilts of his Oathkeeper and Oblivion Keyblades. "We too can wield the Keyblade."

So both Vanitas and Sora could wield the Keyblade?

And same with Roxas and Ventus?

Two pairs of sky blue eyes locked as another set of amber orbs focused on that of sky blue. Almost instantly, all doubt they had earlier was gone from their minds. There was no more sense in lying to themselves – they didn't need any more proof because it was standing right in front of them. Roxas and Ventus both had the same face and build – standing exactly at the same height. Vanitas and Sora both had similar facial features but Vanitas' was more matured and pronounced. And that could only mean one thing: Vanitas and Sora were brothers while Roxas and Ventus were identical twins. As they all glared at each other, at least Sora, Roxas, and Vanitas anyway, a sense of uneasiness wafted about the air. They didn't all get off on the wrong foot but was it really their fault? Sora and Roxas had grown up together and felt as though they were brothers – now they've come face to face with their actual brothers? They didn't want anyone else getting in the way, not now, not ever.

While he himself was slightly perturbed at the thought of having a brother, Ven knew it'd be unproductive to just fight about it instead of trying to understand it. Shaking his head, he placed a hand on Vanitas' shoulder and looked at him sharply as Riku, Sora, and Roxas de-summoned their Keyblades. "Van, enough. It was just an accident." He repeated. Looking over at Sora, the blond inclined his head apologetically. "I'm sorry about him, he's a little possessive." Ignoring the annoyed glare Vanitas sent his way, Ven reached up to cross his arms behind his head. "Look, we're not getting anything done just standing around here. Let's start over." Taking in a deep breath and closing his eyes briefly, Ven extended his arm out good-naturally. "My name is Vanitas Caelum; I'm 18 years old and a student of Master Eraqus'." When Roxas grasped his hand slowly, Ven shook it firmly. "I agree with you that this is pretty weird but it's comforting to know that I wasn't alone after the Zanarkand War." Unlike Roxas, Ven didn't oppose the idea of having a brother – if anything, it was kind of cool. His smile however was sad. "I'm sorry I don't remember you though."

"I don't remember you either." Roxas replied back as he withdrew his hand. He felt weird, that much was evident. Although he was withdrawn earlier, he knew that his brother (?) had made a point. There was no point in fighting about something they had no control over. "I'm Roxas Strife-Leonhart. I'm 18 as well." Shifting awkwardly, he felt Axel's hand on his shoulder tighten in an almost comforting way. It was nice of him to do so in all honesty. "It's nice to know I wasn't alone either." He finished somewhat lamely after a few minutes.

Sora watched their exchange before he turned to face his older brother. His and Vanitas' eyes locked briefly before Sora extended his hand calmly. "I'm sorry for hitting your friend, it was an accident. My name's Sora." Vanitas studied him briefly before nodding slowly and accepting Sora's handshake. Their hands and fingers clasped together awkwardly; it was strange. Vanitas, Ventus, Sora, and Roxas had gone throughout life without the knowledge of having any existing biological family members and it turns out that they were all somewhat connected? It was bizarre – Sora and Roxas were adopted brothers but Sora and Vanitas and Ventus and Roxas were a_ctually_ brothers. Not to mention the strange coincidence that Vanitas and Ven were together, it was just so surreal.

"Ven! Van!" A female voice suddenly shouted as the two boys turned around in response. A blue haired woman came jogging towards them with another boy not far behind her. Making her way over to them, she fixed them with a stern expression. "Don't just go running off like that! There's hundreds of people here – what if Terra and I couldn't find you two? Did you forget that we're needed today?" While Ven looked apologetic, Vanitas simply crossed his arms and rolled his eyes; Aqua really was too mothering sometimes. "Now what was so important that you two have to come rushing over here?" She turned around and once her eyes focused on that of the Vanitas and Ventus look-a-likes before her, she froze.

Terra finally made his way over to them and upon seeing his girlfriend sporting a shocked expression, he looked in the direction of what she was staring at. Almost instantly, his eyes grew wide and he voiced both of their questions so she didn't have to – "What the hell?" After explaining things to Terra, everyone fell silent once more. It was hard to ignore the sense of awkwardness that seemed to waft about in the air, it was honestly uncomfortable. There they were, not even 5 feet away from one another. Vanitas and Sora and then Roxas and Ventus; siblings that had no knowledge of the other's existence. There was so much they wanted to know about each but neither of them dared to ask – it was just so weird.

In the end, it was Sora who broke the silence. "Vanitas." He called, immediately drawing the older man's gaze. "Do you remember our parents?" The brunet felt weird speaking to Vanitas about the subject of 'parents' but still, he pressed on. "Do you remember their faces? Anything?"

"I don't remember anything either." Vanitas answered, crossing his arms. "I might've repressed their faces long ago, I don't know. My earliest memory is being picked up by Master Xehanort when I was young. He found me in the Middle-Sector in one of the run-down residential areas." When Sora flinched slightly, Vanitas looked away. A part of him felt uneasy at the thought of upsetting Sora – was this that 'big brother instinct' or something? "My memories are scarce; I don't even remember you, Sora. I was born a little bit after the Zanarkand War ended and don't remember too much at all."

Sora nodded in understanding. "I was boring three years after the war. My two fathers found Roxas and me in the ruins during one of their routine patrols. Before they found us, we didn't have a home, we didn't have much food or water; I don't even know how we stayed alive that long on our own."

Not knowing what else to say, Vanitas looked away solemnly. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you." Despite Vanitas' earlier aggression, Sora could see that his biological brother was a very quiet individual. He was guarded and he was reserved – he only revealed so much at one time. Ventus on the other hand was the complete opposite. He had spoken to them in the friendliest of ways – welcoming the idea of them being siblings easily. He didn't oppose the idea of Roxas being his brother and he certainly didn't oppose the idea of Sora being Vanitas' brother. In that instance, Roxas and Sora knew that they were still brothers themselves; they just gained new ones along the way. It had always been them and only them so of course they were nervous and unresponsive to the idea of actually having biological siblings.

A new bond was forged, but what would Alpha and Beta have to say about this? Would they be as willing to really acknowledge that they were not their actual children? With Ven and Van's presence here in the city, it really would mean that they once had a life without them.

* * *

After the awkward introductions were made, all new and old Keyblade apprentices assembled together in the training room. Before them stood Master Eraqus who was looking at them all with hard eyes. While he himself had been shocked at the uncanny resemblances between Vanitas and Sora as well as Roxas and Ventus, he welcomed the new boys still. The art and valor of the Keyblade was a sacred art and it was amazing that even more wielders had stepped forward. As a Keyblade Master, Eraqus was quite pleased. Up on the viewing area, Axel, Xion, Kairi, and Naminé all stood together, peering over the railings as they watched eagerly.

"Aqua, summon your Keyblade." Master Eraqus ordered. Nodding, Aqua held out her right hand and with a flash of light, a Keyblade manifested in her hand. Nicknamed 'Brightcrest', it was of medium length and its blue-tinted steel glimmered under the light. Extending his hand towards her, Master Eraqus regarded Sora, Riku, and Roxas with calm eyes. "Are you aware of the notion of the embodiment of Crystals and Chaos within a person's heart?" At the boys' nod, the old man continued. "Within each and every person lies great power and strength – only those most fortunate enough will be able to commit these kinds of feats. You are all Keyblade wielders and as such, a very _special _sort of powers lines within."

Without the consent to do so, Aqua slashed forward with her Keyblade as her body began to exhibit a pink-ish hue. She glowed brightly and closed her eyes as she harnessed the power of her Crystal. It resonated within in, empowering her with each and every second. Watching in apprehension, Roxas and Sora shared a brief look as they crowded around Riku who was not able to see. A few seconds passed and her eyes snapped open and she whirled around and slashed once more, sending a shards of ice pelting towards them. The boys barely had enough time to react when she held out her left palm, manipulating them with her energy.

'What the hell?' Roxas thought as his eyes grew wide. The ice shards that she had managed to summon out of Etro knows where stopped at her command and were practically _levitating _in front of him! "How did you do that?" Was this what Xion meant that day when she said people could act on their Crystal? It just didn't seem humanly possible!

"My name is Aqua, the "Spellweaver". My prowess lies in a magic-oriented fighting style. I was second only to Master Xehanort when he was alive and now that he passed, I am the strongest of Keyblade magic-users. My affinity is Water but I am able to call any elements to my will. Observe." Waving another hand, she manipulated the frozen water and then caused it to melt almost instantly. The boys jumped at the cold wetness as their feet before looking at her amazingly. Were they capable of this kind of power too!? Aqua stood up straight and inclined her head upwards in her standard resting position before nodding slowly. "Train with me and you will conjure up spells deemed only for the Goddess herself."

Terra stepped forward as he too summoned his Keyblade. "My name is Terra, the "Rockbreaker". My prowess lies in heavy-hitting and strength oriented attacks. I am the strongest of the four of us in terms of strength but I am certainly not the best of us. I am proficient in the use of heavy physical strikes as well as a variety of magical attacks. My affinity is Earth." Displaying his own set of powers, Terra slammed the sharpened edges of his Earthshaker into the ground, effectively cracking it and breaking the iron floors. "Train with me and you will be strong."

Like Terra and Aqua did before him, Ven's Keyblade also manifested in his hand. What astounded Roxas and Sora more was the fact that he held it from the back and wielded it differently, almost as if he could backhand it. "I am Ventus, the "Cyclone". My prowess is in my agility, evasion, and quick movements. I am the fastest of the Keyblade wielders, able to disappear with a blink of an eye. My affinity is the Wind and the Light. Train with me and you'll move never be touched."

"And I am Vanitas, the "Unversed." The dark haired man introduced. "My prowess is evident in my use of the Chaos." Roxas, Sora, and Riku immediately stiffened at that. From what they knew, Chaos was only found in _bad _people. Did this mean that Vanitas was an enemy? That wouldn't make any sense though – why would Master Eraqus take on an apprentice of the Chaos? Vanitas was not surprised at their shocked expressions and so he continued onwards. "I show mastery over dark magic and I also specialize in agility. I harness the power of the Chaos and in it, shape it to my will. Train with me and you'll learn to control the Chaos within you so that it does not consume you."

Each of the apprentices had something to offer: Aqua had magic, Terra had strength, Ven had speed, and Vanitas had Chaos. Pausing to look at one another, Riku, Sora, and Roxas simultaneously had the same thought going through their minds – What did they have to offer? Neither of them knew. All their lives, they had only trained in the art of swordsmanship but Aqua, Terra, Ventus and Vanitas, they explored the full extent of their powers. They weren't just special because they wielded the Keyblade, it was so much more than that. And in that instant, the three friends knew they wanted to learn more. "We're ready." They said in unison.

Master Eraqus nodded proudly at them as he unfolded his arms. As he made a move to summon his own Keyblade, he suddenly stopped. He sensed something, something strangely familiar. Looking around, he furrowed his brows in his attempts to locate the strange phenomena. The feeling was hard to explain – it was something strong yet quiet at the same time, almost like it hadn't been discovered yet. There was potential, but where? His search led him to look upwards at the viewing area and upon studying the people on the balcony, he nodded slowly. "Wait." He told his students. "They too have the power." Following their Master's gaze, Aqua, Ventus, Sora, Roxas, Vanitas, Riku, and Terra looked up at where Xion, Naminé, Kairi, and Axel were all standing at. Upon hearing Eraqus' words, Axel and the girls looked at one another perplexingly. What on Gran Pulse was he saying? "And the legacy continues." Master Eraqus stated. "You all have the power to wield the Keyblade, I can sense it resonating in your Crystals." Nodding his head, Master Eraqus spoke in a serious tone. "Now then, will you come forward and realize your true potential?"

* * *

Author's Notes: Okay, I apologize for having posted this and then taking it down. I just was not satisfied with what I had originally had up here. It still kind of upsets me how bad this chapter was written. I'm not proud of it but I don't know how else I can really perfect it. I got some story progression in the last bit that I added though – now we see the potential for magic-using. It's at 8.3k right now, I added another 2000 words or so but hopefully it made this chapter less sucky.

I'm really sorry, I just couldn't something worthwhile this time :( Maybe I need a break or something, I'm not sure. Anyway, hopefully this chapter wasn't too horrible. Please read and review and let me know what you guys think. I have a Tumblr again also so feel free to follow me there for fun posts and gif photosets: Valhallasgoddess . tumblr . com

Please read and review! I'll see you next time!


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